Moving Forward
by RosesForEveryone
Summary: Lucy and Laxus are the first to hear about Tenrou Island's destruction. Overcome with grief and sadness, the idea of moving forward with their lives seems like an impossibility. But they discover that they don't have to do it alone and find strength, love, happiness, and a future in each other.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! This is my second story and I hope that this idea is a good one. It has been in my head for a while and I just had to write it down. So please review and tell me what you think about all of this!**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

"Yes, I promise I will get checked into a hospital as soon as I reach the port." Lucy says as she makes big nods with her head.

"Alright but if I find out that you didn't…" Master says as he gives her a knowing look.

"Master…" Lucy whines.

Makarov gives her a slight smile before gesturing to Bickslow and Freed. Both men promptly pick the blonde woman up and carry her onto the ship to a small bed on the deck. She waves goodbye to Cana, Erza, Mira, Lisanna, Juvia, and Gildarts as she looks over the balcony.

"I'll see you guys back at the guild!" Lucy calls out.

"Bye Lucy, take care of yourself!" Mira yells back with a big wave.

"Don't get into any trouble now!" Erza shouts afterwards.

The horn from the ship blows its whistle as it announces its departure. "Same goes for all of you!" she laughs over the sound of the boat sailing out to sea.

She watches all of her comrades faces as she is steadily pulled away from them. Erza has her arms crossed and looks as strong and beautiful as ever, Mira is still waving and smiling her bright, beautiful smile, Lisanna is calling something out to her but she can't hear it over the roar of the engine, and Juvia is standing there with a neutral look on her face. Every few seconds she will turn and look at the island in silent wonder before turning back to the boat. Lucy can't help but giggle at how the water woman is obviously thinking about where Gray is at the moment. The best view though is Cana and Gildarts. Gildarts has his arm around his daughter's shoulders and is grinning ear-to-ear while Cana is looking bashful from all of the unusual attention from her long sought after father.

Eventually everyone on the shore of Tenrou Island are little blurry figures on yellow sand in the distance.

Lucy lies back against her small bed that has been put on the deck for her convenience. She hates to leave after the first trial but she has no other choice. Or at least her broken leg gives her no other choice. Still, she us happy to be able see everyone off before she left. She looks up at the clear, bright blue sky as she recalls the past few hours.

 _Her and Cana are about to win against Freed and Bickslow._

 _Bickslow is lying unconscious on the ground and Freed is trapped inside a wall of sexy ladies. Cana has laid a ring of cards to trap Freed once he takes the only route to leave the barrier of bikini clad women._

 _Once Freed figures out how to escape, he instantly steps inside the prepared trap._

" _Alright!" Lucy yells with a big smile on her face._

" _Summoned Lightning!" Cana yells with a satisfied smirk._

 _A human sized ring a green lightning emits from the cards on the ground and surrounds the green haired man. In a last ditch attempt, Freed swings his sword to cut through the lightning. The lightning does not react well with the material of his blade and causes an intense explosion._

 _The blast throws Lucy and Cana back against the cave wall and pushes Freed into the other side of the lightning wall. The shock from the fast moving electricity instantly zaps Freed unconscious and he falls to the ground defeated._

 _The sudden impact against the cave causes a stalactite to fall from the ceiling above Lucy. No one notices the falling piece of rock and a few seconds later it crashes into Lucy's right shin. The sound of a bone cracking and an agonizing scream echoes throughout the cave._

 _She reaches down and cradles her leg in her hands. A piece of bone is almost protruding through the skin at the top of her shin. She tries to move her leg but tremendous pain shoots from her leg through the rest of her body._

 _Cana comes running over and quickly falls to Lucy's side. She instantly sees the obviously broken bone and her face pulls into a grimace. It's a nasty sight, no doubt about it. But right now they have to get out of this cave; there is nothing they can do until then. She looks over to where the exit to the cave is and sees that the way is unblocked._

 _Cana hoists Lucy's arm up around her shoulders and helps Lucy stagger out of the cave. It is slow, tedious, and painful but they eventually make their way out of the rocky landscape. As soon as they get out into the open, Cana finds a rock to place Lucy comfortably on. She pulls out the small flare gun to shot up a yellow flare for some assistance._

" _Cana! Don't! I'm fine!" Lucy yells as she tries to stop her friend. She tries to stand up but the agonizing pain stops any sort of movement on her part._

" _I've got no other choice! Your leg is hurt too badly," Cana retorts._

 _Lucy bites the inside of her cheek to stay her arguments. No matter what she says or how she says it, the truth is that she has a broken leg. This is the end of the line for both of them. Strong, normal mages with no hindrance at all have an immensely difficult time passing the exam so even the thought of finishing the exam with a busted leg is impossible._

 _She was supposed to help Cana but now the only reason they lost was because she was careless enough to get herself hurt. Stupid, stupid Lucy. There are no words to describe how terrible and guilty she feels about the whole situation._

 _A bright yellow flare zooms in the sky and bursts into a yellow sphere right above their location. Within minutes, the small master of Fairy Tail comes walking up next to them. "What's going on?" he asks._

 _Cana turns her head away from Lucy in concealed anger but speaks up, "Lucy's leg is broken. She needs to see a doctor."_

 _Master Makarov walks up to Lucy and examines the blonde's leg. He gently pokes where the piece of bone is almost poking through the skin but stops as he hears Lucy hiss in pain. "Yes, you need to see a doctor right away. I'll have the ship prepared immediately," he says with a frown. He hates seeing any of his children hurt._

" _Can't Wendy heal me? That way me and Cana can continue the exam," Lucy asks hopefully._

 _The old man shakes his head, "No. Wendy is currently participating so I can't pull her out just so she can heal your leg. Remaining uninjured is a part of the S-Class trials and all participants must be treated equally. You need immediate care and there are no doctors on this island so you must be sent to a hospital in Hargeon. That being said, you and Cana are disqualified from this year's S-Class exams."_

 _Lucy's shoulders and heart drops at his words. That was her only chance and now there is no more hope. She can't bring herself to look at Cana but she knows that the brunette is angry and upset at failing the exam for the fifth time._

 _Freed and Bickslow come out of the cave and look genuinely surprised to see the two girls and the master. They were about to question what everyone was doing but the sight of Lucy's leg quickly stops those thoughts. Instead, they started to freak out and profusely apologize for hurting her so bad. Lucy tries to calm them down but completely fails._

 _Ever so gently, Bickslow and Freed grab each side of Lucy and carry her back to camp._

 _As the group of five make their way into camp they can see that no one else has made it back from the first trial yet. Bicklsow and Freed sit Lucy down on a stump in the middle of camp while Master calls for a boat to come as soon as possible._

 _Cana still hasn't spoken to Lucy and she really can't blame her. She would be angry too if her only opportunity for passing the exam was snatched away from her by something as simple as being flung against a wall._

 _As time passes, a calm Gildarts walks into the camp and greets everyone happily. Master tells him that a boat should arrive soon to take Lucy away to Hargeon for medical support and that he can leave for the guild if he wishes._

 _Lucy looks over at Cana and realizes that she hasn't looked at the man since he came to the camp. Pity fills her soul for her dear friend. She hates seeing her friend so beat up over this and knowing that it is all her fault. If Cana would just tell Gildarts the truth, she would feel a thousand times better. The only thing stopping her is taking that initial step…_

 _Swallowing hard, Lucy prepares for the worst. "Gildarts," Lucy calls out to the orange haired man._

" _Hmm?" he mumbles as he walks up to the woman on the stump._

" _There's something you need to hear…"_

 _Cana grabs Lucy around the top of her arm and hisses at her to stop whatever she's doing._

 _Lucy wrenches her arm away from Cana and turns to look at Gildarts. "Cana has something to tell you," she tells him._

" _Oh? What is it?" he asks Cana._

 _The brunette visibly stiffens and stares at her feet. "U-Um…"_

" _It's alright, just tell him," Lucy encourages her friend. She didn't want it to happen this way but it's either now or never._

 _Cana bites on her lip and doesn't lift her eyes from the ground._

 _Lucy notices that the master, Bickslow, and Freed have questioning looks on their faces and are very interested in the private conversation. Frowning at their rudeness she orders the three men to help her across the camp so she can rest. The three men take Lucy away, albeit very reluctantly. Although the group made sure that they have a perfect line-of-sight and are within hearing distance of the card and crash mages._

 _Several long minutes pass as Cana tries to summon the courage to speak while Gildarts silently waits. Finally Cana barely speaks up, "Did you know that the reason I joined the guild…was so that I could find my father?"_

" _Actually that's the first I heard of it," he says calmly. "Wait, you joined to find him? You telling me your old man was a member of Fairy Tail too?"_

" _Eh…yes." A small leaf falls from the trees and she clenches her fists for strength. "His name is Gildarts."_

 _Master, Bicklsow, and Freed's eyes go wide and their jaws drop while Lucy sagely nods her head at the news._

 _Gildarts blinks at Cana as he tries to process the new information. "AHHHHH!" he yells when it finally hits him._

 _Cana stands her ground and remains strong. After Gildarts tries to figure out whom Cana's mother is by naming off the thirteen women who he has slept with and Cana getting angry with him, they have a touching father-daughter moment when he realizes that Cana is his and his late wife's daughter. Cana finally calls Gildarts 'dad' and Gildarts swears to never make his daughter sad again._

 _The whole scenario beings a tear to Lucy's eye and she wipes it away with a content smile. In the background, Bickslow, Freed, and Master are crying big exaggerated tears from the wonderful display._

* * *

" _Are you sure you don't want to go back to the guild?" Lucy asks Cana as they wait for the ship to arrive._

" _Yeah, I'm sure. I want to stay here and see who finishes the exams," she replies._

" _I'm just glad everything worked out for you."_

" _Me too. Thanks for all of your help; I don't know how to repay you."_

" _Don't mention it," Lucy laughs._

 _The other women, Master, Bickslow, Freed, and Gildarts join the blonde and brunette as they see the boat approaching. Bickslow and Freed are ordered by the Master to watch over Lucy and to see that she is admitted to the hospital once they arrive at port. Soon enough, the boat reaches the shore and everyone says their goodbyes._

The memory of her friends' happy faces brings a warm smile to Lucy's face. She gazes up at the sky as she soaks up the warm sunrays. _The sky is so blue and calming; almost like it came out of a painting,_ she muses. A soft breeze blows over the blonde woman and makes loose hair strands tickle her nose. The whole atmosphere is so relaxing that Lucy steadily falls into a deep slumber.

* * *

Rattling noises and footsteps can be heard as Lucy slowly opens her eyes. The bright florescent lights above head make her squint as her eyes adjust to the light. A blurry figure moves overhead and speaks with a friendly voice, "Miss Heartfilia? Can you hear me?"

"Where am I?" she groans.

"You're in the hospital; you have a broken leg." The man speaking is wearing a white coat and Lucy realizes that the man must be a doctor. She looks around the room to see an ordinary looking hospital room; complete with a large window, a small bathroom, a side chair, a side table, a small hospital bed where she is currently located, and various medical tools on a desk at her left side.

She tries to move her body but discovers that one of her legs has a heavy weight surrounding it. Rising up on her elbows, she sees the white, plastered cast along her entire shin, ankle, and the top of her foot. She unconsciously groans and plops back down onto the bed.

"How long do I have to be like this?" she whines.

The doctor chuckles before clearing his throat, "You'll have to have the cast on for at least three months. If you are making good progress by the end of the third month then we can take the cast off but you will still have to have crutches for another two weeks."

"So three and half months in total?"

"Most likely."

Another groan from Lucy makes the doctor give her a small smile. "You're lucky. Your tibia made a clean break three-quarter of the way down your shin. It could have been a lot worse."

"Could have been a lot better too…" she mumbles. Suddenly remembering how she got here she realizes that she hasn't seen a wooden totem or a sword since she woke up. "Were there two men here? One has a visor and the other has green hair. I would like to see them," Lucy asks the doctor politely.

The doctor thinks about all of his patient's visitors and he faintly recalls two men with descriptions like that carrying the woman into the hospital. "Yes, I remember them. They said there was some emergency on an island and they had to leave immediately."

"Emergency? What kind of emergency?" asks a concerned Lucy. Did something happen to her friends?

"I'm sorry but they didn't say," he replies gently. "Now, I want you to rest and relax. You'll be released as soon as you have someone to help you get home."

"Thank you doctor," she says as she gives him a big smile. The doctor returns her smile and leaves to attend to his other patients.

Lucy looks down at her cast and can't help but moan in self-pity. _Why do these things always happen to me?_ she wonders to herself.

The clock on the wall says that it is evening and that the sun should be going down in about an hour. Rolling her head back toward the ceiling and the lights overhead she closes her eyes to get some more sleep.

A deep, bone cringing force rushes through Lucy's body. She shoots up out of bed and looks around the room to try to find where that horrible sensations came from. Another ominous feeling sweeps through her body and she can't help but sense that it's coming from the sea.

Carefully maneuvering herself out of bed, she limps over to the window. Looking out of the clear glass window, she sees a pale blue ocean, wooden docks, small fishing boats, and tourists taking photographs. She squints her eyes as she double checks her surroundings but nothing appears out of the ordinary. The ominous feeling is gone now and she nervously bites the inside of her lip. Shaking her head and saying that it was just her imagination, Lucy turns to get back into bed.

The biggest wave of spinal tingling horror she has ever felt runs down her spine as she fully turns away from the window. It gives her chills and makes her skin crawl in the wickedest of ways. Her muscles tense and she finds herself unable to move as a feeling of dread and death trembles through her into the deepest parts of her soul. The air in her lungs is sucked out in a single breath and she feels like someone or _something_ has just walked over her grave.

Slowly turning around, she stares out the window with large eyes as if she expects this big, black monster to appear behind her at any moment—but there's nothing.

Convinced that's she's not crazy, Lucy limps over to her clothes, quickly throws them on, and grabs the crutches next to her bedpost. She needs to get outside. Something is horribly wrong…

She tries not to make a scene as she exits the hospital. Some of the nurses give her strange looks when they see the celestial mage trying her best to run, which is hobbling at best, down the hallway as fast as she can manage.

Making her way past the white double doors, Lucy hops over to the edge of the harbor. She looks everywhere: to her left, her right, up, down, front, back but still finds nothing wrong. _What's going on…?_

Not sure of what she can do, she waits for something to happen. Another feeling, a monster to show itself, an attack, a dark mage, something, _anything_ …but it never comes. She waits and watches the sea for any indication of what made her feel so alone and scared earlier. She nervously bites her lip the longer she is left standing at the edge of the sea.

Long, stressful minutes slowly tick by and make her efforts for naught. No monster comes over the horizon, there is no attack on the city, there are no dark mages in sight, and she doesn't sense any more death anywhere. She takes a shaky breath as she tries to calm herself.

 _Maybe it was just my imagination…_ she wonders again to herself. Deciding that she needs some more fresh air and that it would make her trip worthwhile, she watches the crystal blue sea for a little while longer.

The low hanging sun has started to set behind the horizon of water and air. Vibrant hues of red, yellow, and orange paint the sky and blend beautifully into one another. Sparse wisps of clouds litter the sky and are given a golden-red color from the setting sun. Directly contrasting to the sky is the massive expanse of water that sits directly underneath it and extends for as far as the eye can see. The brightness in the sky causes the water closest to the horizon to turn a deep violet with gleams of light reflecting off of its surface. As the water rolls toward the shore, it gradually fades from a deep blue to a baby blue. It is one of the most beautiful sights that Lucy has ever seen and she can't help but marvel at its beauty.

About a half hour later, Lucy is about to return to her room when she sees a strange sight. A bright yellow lightning bolt streaks through the sky at a tremendous speed. It makes it way toward the harbor and before Lucy can move, it strikes down next to her. Within moments she sees a very familiar face looking toward the sea.

"Laxus?" Lucy says in surprise.

The lightning dragon slayer turns around and looks genuinely surprised to see the celestial mage. "Blondie? What are you doing here?" he asks.

Lucy frowns at his nickname for her but refrains herself from snapping at him. "That's my line," she says.

Laxus mimics her frown as he turns back to look at the sea.

Sensing his refusal to tell her why he is here, Lucy sighs, "I'm in the hospital with a broken leg. I accidently got hurt while I was doing the S-Class trials on Tenrou Island with Cana. I thought I sensed something so I came out here to investigate."

He looks back toward her with his eyebrows furrowed together in curiosity, "What do you mean?"

"I just felt like something was wrong. It's gone now though," Lucy says as she shrugs her shoulders.

A tense silence fills the air as Laxus stares at the younger mage. _Should I tell her? What does all this mean?_ he deliberates to his self.

Lucy's whole being falters at being studied under his stern and hard gaze. She unconsciously shifts her weight onto her bad leg and winces at the sharp pain. Repositioning her crutches so she can face Laxus properly, she hears his deep voice.

"Were you on the island?" he asks.

Lucy cocks her head to the side in a questioning look, "Um, yeah. I told you I was there with Cana and everyone else."

"You're positive?"

"Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"

He opens his mouth as if he about to answer before shutting it and looking back at the water. It seems like he is having a hard time trying to figure out exactly what to say. "It's gone," he says finally.

Lucy eyebrows raise and she looks between the water and Laxus. "What's gone?" she asks slowly.

"The island. It's just…gone."

She blinks up at him, "What?"

He heaves a heavy sigh and finally turns to look her in the eye. "Tenrou Island is gone. I had the same bad feeling and when I went to go check out the area, all that was there was a fleet of Council ships but no island. No tree, no ground, and no Fairy Tail—just the military."

Lucy stares at the man with her mouth slightly open and wide eyes. Her mind is reeling and seems to be having a hard time comprehending exactly what he just told her.

"I didn't stick around to get questioned and I teleported here," Laxus finishes his story. He looks just as confused and lost as Lucy. On the inside, his insides are in complete knots. Everything about this whole damn situation screams tragedy.

Still unable to believe the whole situation, Lucy starts to hyperventilate and vehemently shake her head in denial. "No, no…!"

A loud horn from a ship announces its arrival at the docks. The military ship docks at a port near the two blondes and quickly catches their attention. A stern looking man with his hair tied into a bun and the Fairy Tail member known as Mest walk off of the boat together. She remembers the captain from when he apprehended Jellal after the whole Oracion Seis fight.

"Captain Lahar!" Lucy calls out to the officer in a shaky voice.

The man turns to see the two mages and makes his way over to the duo with a deeply troubled Mest slightly behind him. "You are Lucy Heartfilia, correct?" he asks in a neutral tone.

"Yes. Is it true? Is Tenrou Island…" she asks in a hushed whisper. She has to confirm what Laxus was telling her. It's not that she doesn't trust him she just wants—no, _needs_ a reason to think he's wrong.

The rigidness in Lahar's face softens at the obvious fragileness of the woman in front of him. "Yes, I'm afraid it's true."

"H-how?" her lips quiver as a film of tears glisten along her eyelids. She is on the verge of a full meltdown if she doesn't get some answers quickly.

"It was Acnologia," Mest says in a harsh whisper.

"What's Acnologia?" Laxus demands, tired of being left out of the conversation.

The seriousness returns to Captain Lahar's face as he turns to glare up at the taller man. "That lightning bolt was you I presume," he says frankly as he looks Laxus in the eye. He thought he saw some lightning in the sky and now realizes that it was probably the blonde haired male.

"Yes, it was. Now tell us what Acnologia is," Laxus bites out. He wants his answers dammit and by God he is going to get them.

Lahar almost refuses to reveal any information about the situation but remembers that this man is, or was, the Master of Fairy Tail's grandson and he deserves to know what happened.

Clenching his jaw he speaks in a monotone voice, "Acnologia is a dragon; a large black dragon with blue markings. While we were doing an investigation into Fairy Tail we received information that the dragon was approaching the island. I ordered my men to retreat before we came into contact with the beast. The last thing we witnessed was a massive magical force that was in the same area as Tenrou Island. When we returned to where Tenrou Island was located last, it was gone. We suspect that Acnologia was behind an attack that obliterated the island."

Lucy freezes in shock and the small gasp that falls from her lips instantly brings Lahar's attention back to the shaking celestial mage. "What about everyone who was on the island?" she asks quietly.

Captain Lahar watches the young woman for a moment before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry but right now we have to assume the worst," he says with a soft voice.

Lucy's face turns pale and her knees give way under her as she falls to the ground in pure heartache and grief. _No…No, this can't be! Everyone can't be…_

The thought of her family being gone forever opens the floodgates. Sharp wails can be heard throughout all of Hargeon as Lucy breaks down. Rivers of tears escape her eyes to run down her cheeks as her body trembles. She covers her face with her hands as she screams out her pain and sorrow. The yelling and wailing from grief quickly gains the attention of anyone in close proximity to the blonde.

Laxus hasn't moved. The shock is too great for him to process at the moment. All he feels like he is capable of doing is staring at Lucy as she bawls her eyes out. A part of him wants to do the same but the other part is trying to come up with any conceivable notions on how they could still be alive. Any at all…

No one says anything to comfort the Fairy Tail mage and ex-Fairy Tail mage in their time of distress. There is really nothing that can be said that can ease this amount of grief and sadness. The sun sets over the horizon and darkness descends as the wails of a heartbroken woman continue through the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**I am so happy that everyone seems to like this! And the reviews were so awesome and encouraging. Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed!**

 **Happy New Year to everyone and let's all enjoy 2016!**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

Captain Lahar tells Lucy and Laxus on the docks on Hargeon that the Council must be reported to immediately. He says that he will request that the council search the waters near the Tenrou Island for any survivors. He and Mest leave the two awestruck blondes with a small farewell to attend to their duties.

Somehow Lucy winds up back in her hospital bed. She thinks that Laxus helped her but she is too overcome with emotions to remember any details.

The following day, Lucy gets checked out of the hospital with Laxus' permission. He promises the doctors that she is well enough to travel to Magnolia and to see that she arrives home without further injuries.

Before they leave, Lucy uses the rare opportunity when her and Laxus are alone. "Are you coming back to the guild?" she asks quietly.

Laxus looks through the window and answers honestly, "I don't know..."

"Can you come with me? Please? I-I don't want to be alone when I tell everyone that…" Lucy chokes on the words that she still hasn't said out loud.

Laxus looks at the women with sympathy. She is so obviously and tremendously devastated by this that he isn't sure who is more broken from this loss-her or him. "Sure, anything you want."

The walk to the train station is made in dead silence as neither of the two blondes knows what to say. What can you say when all you want to do is deny everything?

Once Laxus gets Lucy on the train, he says that he will meet her at the train station in Magnolia. Lucy doesn't say anything but nods her head.

A short train ride and the walk through Magnolia later, Lucy and Laxus are standing at the entrance to the Fairy Tail guild. They hear the rambunctious people behind the large wooden doors laughing, hollering, and drinking in merriment. Tears are brought to Lucy's eyes as she prepares herself for what is about to come.

Slowly opening the doors, Laxus lets Lucy limp inside the wide guild hall before stepping up behind her. Loud conversations quiet into hushed whispers as all of the members stop whatever they are doing at the moment they lay eyes on the hurt celestial mage.

Some of the member's eyes glance between her and Laxus and she can see anger and hate from their cold stares while the other members stare at her dumbly. All of their stares seem to join together and create this immense pressure to shove it into her chest. It makes her stomach knot in her gut and she feels like she is going to be nauseous any second.

"Lucy! What happened?! Are you alright?" Macao finally says as he jogs over to the hurt girl.

Lucy opens her mouth but nothing comes out except a tiny huff of air. Her mouth opens and closes as she tries to formulate any sort of response. In the end, she is only capable of barely shaking her head before looking at the floor.

Laxus watches her and tries to keep his demeanor stoic but she is making it very difficult for him. His heart has broken from the news itself but her attitude and predicament seems to rip it further and harder apart every second.

"What's wrong? Where's everyone else?" Macao says as he looks behind her to find the missing members of Fairy Tail.

A chocked cry escapes Lucy's lips and she covers her mouth with her hand to hold back her sobs. She can't break down now; she still has to tell everyone the news.

She looks up to the older man with water eyes and clears her throat, "They're…they're…"

Macao's eyes widen and he stiffens at Lucy's unusual behavior. "They're what?" he asks anxiously. Everyone behind him waits with bated breath for what has happened to the mages on Tenrou Island.

Lucy mouth cracks opens as tears cascade down her cheeks, "They're dead." That was the first time that she said those dreaded words out loud and they felt like poison on her tongue.

A tray full of beers crashes to the ground and everyone inhales a sharp breath in shock. The room remains perfectly still as the news sinks in. No longer able to contain the emotions that she is bottling up inside of her, Lucy breaks down. She crumbles to the floor as she sobs with her head in her hands.

Laxus looks out the guild doors as a single tear rolls down his cheek.

Macao gently reaches down and hugs Lucy as she cries her eyes out. Soon enough the happy, energetic guild is turned into a grieving, wailing mess.

* * *

The next week passes in long, tedious days that never seem to end but at the same time are gone in a blink of an eye. Everything and everyone follows a rigorous schedule that just seems… _natural_ in the face of death.

Lucy wakes up from her dreamless slumber and looks at the time. _Eight thirty…I guess those pain pills do make you sleep. I better get up then._

She slowly sits upright and grabs her crutches to pull herself out of bed to start her morning routine. Today is the funeral and she has to get ready.

Everything that has been done in the past week has all been in preparation for today. Flowers, the memorial site, the statue, press releases, the date and time, and the service all had to be arranged and prepared. Lucy had no idea how much work was involved in arranging a funeral but at the same time, everything seemed like it was common sense.

Her cast makes performing her simple regular routine tremendously tedious and difficult. She has had to change her wardrobe to accommodate her lack of mobility and now wears dresses that she can pull over the top of her head. Today, she is wearing a simple black knee-length dress with elbow length sleeves and a scoop neckline.

By the time that she is fully washed, dressed, and fed it is almost ten o'clock. The funeral is at twelve o'clock and she must be at the guild by eleven thirty.

Leaving her apartment building, Lucy calls out Virgo to help her down the stairs. She has been having the maid help her up and down the stairs ever since she got out of the hospital and frankly she wouldn't know what to do if Virgo wasn't there.

Lucy walks slowly with her crutches to the guild and gets lost in thought along the way.

Laxus stayed after he helped her to the guild. He came and went as the days passed but Lucy was always happy to see him. Seeing him there reminded her that not everyone in her family died that day. They talked a little here and there, mainly about funeral stuff.

The worst and shortest conversation they had though was about the Thunder Legion and Master Makarov four days after the news was delivered. He asked if they were all on the island at the time and Lucy was barely able to tell him the horrible truth. She told him how Freed was selected as a candidate and how he picked Bickslow as his partner. Evergreen threatened Elfman into taking her as his partner and that the master was administering the test. By the end of the conversation Lucy was in tears and Laxus hadn't said a word. He left shortly thereafter and hasn't shown his face since.

Captain Lahar came by the guild the following day. He told everyone that the Council has sent rescue ships to search for their missing guild mates and that the ships will continue their search for six months.

The news brought a sliver of hope and comfort to everyone in the guild. Though some more than others. Everyone agreed though that a monument and funeral should be held in case the Council's efforts are fruitless.

On the sixth day, Loke appeared in the middle of the guild while she was there. Everyone who knew that Loke was Gray's partner was shocked to see the orange haired spirit. Lucy tried to run up and give him a huge hug but almost fell to the ground instead. Luckily, Loke was there to catch and steady her. Either way, she gave him the biggest hug she could had ever given anyone.

After the initial reunion, she asked him how he was and to tell her everything he knew about what happened on the island. All ears and eyes were locked on the pair as Loke sighed and pulled out a golden key.

He replied that he was fine and that he was not sure what happened to everyone else. About halfway through the second trial a dark guild called Grimoire Heart attacked the island. Everyone did their best to defend the holy ground and he wound up fighting and defeating one of his old friends and fellow celestial spirit.

After the fight, Loke was so exhausted that he had to leave the island but not before promising Capricorn that he would give his key to Lucy. He had no idea what transpired on the island after that. Loke gave Lucy Capricorn's key and asked her to make a contract with him when she is ready. He then dismissed himself, stating that he needed to rest and recover.

Lucy bid him a bittersweet goodbye. She was happy to see that her friend and spirit was safe but also disheartened by the news that he brought.

All of the hope that everyone felt the previous day was wiped away. Assuming everyone on the island survived the ambush from Grimoire Heart, they would all be too exhausted to fight a dragon head on. The chances of them being alive dramatically decreased that day. Another round of sadness flitted through the guild hall and everyone's hearts.

That night she went home and cried herself to sleep. All she wants is for them to come back…

Every day she wakes up and expects to see a bundle of pink hair in her bed beside her but finds nothing. No pink hair, no white scarf, no blue fur ball.

The clear, pristine picture of everyone's smiling faces flashes into her mind. How was she supposed to know that could have been the last time she would see them again? That image has burned itself into her brain and haunts her when she closes her eyes at night.

She wishes she can see Natsu and Gray arguing over something completely trivial and Erza coming between them and scaring the living hell out of both of them. Mira and Lisanna laughing at the three and Elfman making some sort of comment about being a man. Juvia watching Gray from afar and swooning over his manliness. The Thunder Legion huddled together and talking about something or another. Gildarts hugging Cana while Cana tries to put some space between them. Master sitting on the ground watching over his children and smiling. Gajeel trying to show Wendy something dragon related while Levy watches with curiosity all over her face. All three exceeds sitting around a stump eating dinner and talking about their preferred dishes.

She misses them…she misses them _so_ much. Tears always threaten to erupt when she thinks about everyone. She would give anything to have them back…anything.

As she comes closer to the guild, she wipes away the few tears that have slipped out.

The guild doors are open so Lucy walks in with ease. She can see Macao, Wakaba, and Romeo at one table. Poor Romeo has been crying his eyes out nonstop ever since she came back and broke the news. A time or two she cuddled with him and cried with him when no one was looking. Bisca and Alzack sit at another table talking quietly amongst themselves. Warren, Max, Nab, Laki, and Vijeeter stand near the bar in silence. Reedus, who has lost all of his weight, can't bring himself to paint. Other unknown members and people either sit or stand as they wait patiently.

Announcements were made in the middle of the week across Magnolia about the service and welcomed anyone who wished to join. Most of the people in Magnolia sent flowers and gave their respects over the last few days of the week but few actually showed up for the funeral. It is mainly people who were fans of everyone who passed or felt close to them. Lucy has not seen them before so she just has to take their word for it.

Nevertheless, the procession is a large crowd due to most of the guild attending the ceremony.

Everyone present is wearing some sort of black clothing; the men are wearing black suits while the women wear some sort of black dress or outfit. There are no smiles, laughter, or joy amongst the inhabitants.

Walking over to an unoccupied table, she sits down and waits for the procession to leave for the monument in thirty minutes.

* * *

Once everyone has gathered at the guild hall, they start walking into the East Forest where the memorial takes place. A small dirt path winds through the trees as it makes it way up a small hill. The bright, cloudless day shines in spots through the trees and is normally associated with joyous, fun filled days. But not today. Today is a symbol of loss and remorse and will forever be remembered as a day of sorrow.

Due to the amount of people, the progress is slow. Lucy is at the rear due to her injury so she doesn't slow everyone down more than necessary.

Once everyone has gathered they stand in front of the monument as they prepare for the service. A pastor from Kardia Cathedral walks through the crowd and takes his position next to the statue.

The monument is a statue of a fairy. What else is more appropriate?

She stands with one foot in front of the other on a tall rectangular stone that has been nailed into the ground. She is made out of the same stone as the base, has two pairs of wings, a flowing dresses that hugs her upper body, long hair that rolls down her back, and outstretched arms as if she is welcoming someone in front of her. Lucy was the one to pick her out. Behind her is a full view of the lake, encircling her is trees, and the town of Magnolia to the left beyond the trees. It truly is a beautiful place to overlook.

Lucy looks around at the crowd. Behind everyone else, in the line of trees, stands a dressed up Laxus. He is wearing suit like all of the other men and looks equally as sad. For a moment Lucy wonders why she didn't notice him earlier. Despite not being a member, he has every right to be there. If not more than anyone else. He lost an actual family member for god sake. So why didn't she see him?

The pastor crosses his hands in front of his body as he begins the service. "We are gathered here today to remember all of those who have been taken so suddenly from us. The lives of everyone who was lost on Tenrou Island will be cherished for all of time…"

The service continues for over an hour. Several testimonies are given by members who were particularly close to everyone who passed. Macao and Wakaba gave the longest speeches while Warren, Max, and Bisca give simple ones.

Most of the girls cry into handkerchiefs while the men wipe their tears onto their sleeves. Lucy has tears running down her cheeks during the whole service but she doesn't bother wiping them off. Only more will come.

When everyone is finished speaking, the pastor gives one final farewell as a closure to the funeral.

Everyone starts to file though the forest back to the guild. A few linger as they pay their private respects. The last one in front of the fairy statue is Lucy as she waited for everyone to leave before she says her goodbyes. She takes her time saying that this is not goodbye but rather a 'see you later' and promises that she will come often and tell them about everything that is happening.

Lifting herself up, she notices that Laxus hasn't moved from his spot next to the trees. She careful maneuvers herself over to him. He steps outside of the line of trees to stand directly in front of the celestial mage.

"Thank you for coming. It means a lot," she says quietly. "You didn't have to stand in the back. You could have stood with everyone else."

"Didn't want to. They are members of the guild," he says stoically. Lucy can sense the lingering undertone of desire that laced his word though.

Lucy frowns at him but doesn't argue. She doesn't have the energy for that today. "Are you coming to the guild hall today? We are going to have food and drinks there for the memorial. It would be nice if you came." she says hopefully.

He looks away from her pleading eyes. "I might stop by later," he says in a hushed voice.

"Thank you Laxus," she says with a sad smile. With those words, she takes her leave to head to the guild.

Laxus watches her as she heads down the small dirt path and eventually out of sight behind the trees.

He turns and walks up to the monument honoring his lost friends and family. Standing at the base, he stares at the fairy's face for a long time. Time gets lost as he tries to express exactly what he is feeling. The mixture of hurt, sorrow, grief, ire, heartache, woe, and uneasiness begin to overflow the more he stares at the woman.

Anger takes hold of him and he demands to know why his grandfather left him. Makarov always promised him that that he would watch over him forever and to be there for him. Now who will watch over him? Who will be there when he needs someone? He yells that the old man was selfish to leave him behind like this and that he can't forgive him for doing this to him. The statue does not answer him and stares at him with open arms.

At a loss for words and overwhelmed with emotion, Laxus falls to his knees and begins to weep. Rivers of tears flow down his cheeks as the raw emotions flow through his veins. He wails as he apologizes for not being there sooner, how he feels so lost, that he needs his grandfather's help, and that he wishes they would just come back. The stone fairy remains quiet and only listens to his pleads as he cries his heart out.

* * *

A week later, everyone is still in mourning although the depressed atmosphere has significantly lightened. The rowdiness of the guild hasn't return but some members are talking and drinking more often.

Laxus has stopped by the guild every day and today is no different. He sits at the end of the bar away from the crowd and out of everybody's way. The only people that talk to him are Macao, Wakaba, and most of all Lucy. When it comes to her, she talks to him as if he is still a part of the guild when she knows he's not. It baffles him but he doesn't dare bring it up. Partially because of the bad timing but mainly because he doesn't want to stir up bad blood.

Eventually, low and behold the object of his thoughts sits beside him and props her crutches against bar as she carefully wiggles onto the barstool.

"Hey Laxus," she greets with a neutral tone.

He grunts at her in welcoming before turning back to look at the bar.

Lucy tries to make small talk with the man but has a hard time getting more than two sentences at a time out of him. It doesn't matter how long he talks though, she is just happy that there is someone from her family that she can talk with to help ease the loneliness.

"Hey I just thought of something," Wakaba says quite loudly. Loud enough for everyone to overhear and gain their attention.

"What is it?" Macao asks.

"Who is going to be the new guild master?" Wakaba wonders.

The simple question seems to shock everyone. How could they all forget to ask this essential question? Now that Makarov is gone, they need a new Master. All of the members of Fairy Tail glance around at one another with questioning looks.

Lucy looks up at Laxus with raised eyebrows. Immense guilt shrouds his face as he shakes his head before lower it to look back at the bar. She gives him a sympathetic look but remains quiet. If he doesn't want to be guild master then so be it.

"I'll be the guild master," Macao declares as he stands up.

"Are you sure there Macao? Being guild master is a tough job," Wakaba says as he puffs on his cigar.

"Yes, I'm positive. Someone has to lead this guild and I think I'm just the man for the job! Are there any objections?"

The guild remains silent. Since no objections are heard, Macao has now become the unofficial Fourth Guild Master of Fairy Tail.

"Alright then, what's your first order _Master_?"

Macao scratches his chin as he ponders Wakaba's question. "As my first decree as Guild Master, I order everyone to start taking jobs again! I haven't seen anyone take any jobs for the past two weeks! We can't mope around here forever! Our friends can still come back any time now and imagine how they would feel if they saw us looking so gloom! They would never let us live it down!" Macao yells whole-heartedly.

Most of the guild members look at one another in hesitance. Isn't it still too soon? How can they be expected to move on?

But Macao's small speech sparks something inside of Lucy; something that hid deep inside of her while she was grieving and filled with self-pity. It is the "life" filled part. The part that makes us get out of bed in the morning. The part that makes us want to better ourselves and enjoy the lives we live.

 _Life must go on and it'll get easier with time. I can't be trapped like this; I won't remain stationary in this sorrow. No more crying, no more breaking down. I will be strong and move forward. I have to move forward for them,_ a small voice reassures her inside of her head. The voice gives her a boost of strength and confidence that she hasn't felt since before the devastating news.

Rising from her chair, Lucy wobbles over to Macao. Facing the older mage, she gives him a small smile. "You're right Maca-I mean Master. Is there any work I can do around the guild? I'm a bit restrained at the moment and I still need to pay my rent," she says with slight laugh.

Macao gives her a smile, "I'll find something for you to do."

Everyone watches Lucy with amazement. A powerful force fills every one of them as they realize that she is confronting her sadness and it seems to break the gloomy atmosphere. It was as if they were waiting for permission to move on from the sadness. And Lucy gave them that. If the girl who last saw the mages on Tenrou Island and was saved by a broken leg can smile and laugh then they can too.

Slowly and one by one, different mages move to the request board and start picking out jobs. It is the first regular and non-grieving sight that anyone inside the guild has seen in the past two weeks.

Laxus watches his fellow blonde in astonishment. Everything that he has seen in the past two weeks points to her being emotional devastated. She has cried the most out of everyone in the guild and she has barely smiled. Yet here she is; doing something else other than crying and feeling sorry for herself. She is trying the make the best out of the situation and getting on with her life. He envies her and her determination.

A part of him wants to do the same, it wants to move forward but he can't do that. At some point he will but not right now. He still needs some more time to mourn.

Deciding that now would be the opportune time to make his exit; he quietly gets up from his stool and leaves the guild hall. Not sure of where to go, he starts to walk toward the fairy monument to spare a few moments with his grandfather.

Laxus' presence does not go unnoticed by Lucy and his absence greatly disheartens the celestial spirit mage.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to all of my followers, favoriters, and reviewers. All of your support makes me so happy and really gets me to keep writing. Please review and let me know how you like this new chapter!**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

"Paperwork? You want me to do paperwork?" Lucy asks skeptically.

"Finances to be exact," Macao says with a grin.

Yesterday, she asked him if there is any work around the guild that she can do and he said that he would get back to her. Today, he has dropped the bomb on her and told her that she can handle the financials of the guild.

"You'll even have your own office," Macao says as his grin widens.

"Alright, that sounds fine," Lucy agrees with a smile.

"Great! Let me show you your office!" Macao says as he walks to the second floor.

Lucy scowls at the wooden contraption known as stairs before calling Virgo out. The pink haired spirit neatly bows and helps her master up the stairs. They have gotten so used to this routine that Virgo automatically assumes that Lucy is calling her out for the sole purpose of stair duty. Not that she minds. In fact, she daydreams about being pushed down the flight of stairs by the blonde.

It's not surprising to anyone else that Lucy became horrified once Virgo told her the crazy desire. Lucy was so petrified by the idea that she refused to call Virgo out for helping her up the stairs. Though Lucy quickly went back to the maid spirit due to her other spirits being angry, perverted, or too overwhelming.

Lucy and Macao eventually arrive at a small wooden door that is located next to the Master's office. Macao opens the door for her and turns on the light.

One look inside the room has her losing all of the color in her face and cursing herself. _What the hell have I gotten myself into…_

* * *

The next week and a half is filled with papers, papers, and more papers for everyone's favorite celestial mage.

The only thing that didn't involve paperwork was when she called out Capricorn to make a contract. The goat spirit arrived from the Celestial Spirit World with ease and no issues. She gave him a bright smile and asked if he wanted to establish a contract with her. Capricorn responded there was no need for them to make a contract because they already had one. He then went on to explain how he was her mother's celestial spirit and that he swore to her that he would protect her line for as long there is a celestial spirit mage among them. Lucy was brought to tears by the story and told Capricorn that she couldn't thank him enough. Capricorn told her that he is readily available whenever she needs him and to not hesitate to call upon him. With tears glistening in her eyes, she bid the goat spirit farewell as he left for his home world. Afterwards Lucy placed his key next to Loke's with a smile on her face.

Today, she has planned to go and visit the memorial and lay down some flowers before she goes to the guild.

She gets out of bed slowly and starts her morning routine. It has been nearly a month since she broke her leg and she has learned to do almost everything with the hard cast over her shin. The only issue is that she still has problems with putting any skirts or shorts on so she still wears dresses. Besides that though, she can function like anyone else.

Finishing up her bath, she hops over to her dresser and picks her outfit for the day. She selects a knee length red sundress with a v-cut neckline and a dark red ribbon tied around her waist. She leaves her hair down and puts on her heart shaped earrings.

After she calls Virgo out to help her down the steps, she makes her way to the florist.

As Lucy walks next to Southgate Park, she sees Romeo sitting under the big tree in the center. He looks miserable as he plucks a few blades of grass from the ground.

"Hey Romeo," Lucy says as she walks up to him with her crutches.

Romeo looks up from the grass to look Lucy in the eye. "Hey Lucy," Romeo says and then lowers his gaze back to the ground.

Worry and sympathy fill Lucy's heart for the young boy. He is so devastated about losing everyone and he hasn't smiled since he heard the news. She sees a nearby bench and sits down. "Romeo, come here," Lucy calls the boy over.

He slowly walks up to stand in front of her.

"I know how much it hurts Romeo," Lucy says gently. "But you have to let go of that pain. Being sad is not going to bring them back."

Romeo chokes on a sob at Lucy's words. "I can't help it. I want them to come back so bad," he cries as tears run down his cheeks and onto the pavement.

Lucy's eyes soften and she reaches out to cups both sides of his face. She pulls his head up so he looks her in the eye. "I know Romeo, I know. There isn't anything that I wouldn't give to have them back. But that's why we have to let the sadness go. We have to do it for them. Natsu, Happy, everyone, wouldn't want to see us sad. They would want us to be happy and move on with our lives."

"How?" he asks as his lip quivers.

She gives him a gentle smile as she wipes away the tears with the pads of her thumbs. "You just have to let go. You have to decide to stop being sad and decide to be happy instead. No one will ever forget the friends we lost and it is okay to still think about them but not in a bad way. Think about all of the good times and how, even though they are not here, there will be many more to come. There is still a long life ahead of you and no one, especially Natsu, would want you to waste it because of he's not here."

Romeo looks up in amazement at Lucy. She was Natsu's teammate and here she is smiling down at him. He always looked up to Natsu because he was strong and courageous. When he lost Natsu, he lost his hero. But right now, the same strength that he saw in Natsu's eyes is gazing down at him. Maybe…maybe…if Lucy can be strong like Natsu then he can too.

Romeo bites on his lip as he tackles Lucy in a hug. "I'll try Lucy! I'll do it for Natsu!" he cries into her chest.

Lucy pulls him closer and lets him cry his eyes out once more. After a few minutes he pulls away and wipes his tears with the back of his hands. He looks up at her and gives her a toothy grin. Lucy can't help but return his bright smile with one of her own. The first time he smiles in almost a month and she is the one to see it.

"Alright," Lucy says as she slaps her knees. "I need to finish running my errands. How about you go to the guild and check up on your dad? I sure he could really use you help," she says as she gives Romeo a wink.

"Yeah! I'll see you later Lucy!" Romeo yells as he runs off toward the guild with a wave.

Lucy waves goodbye to the young boy and bids him farewell.

Resting a little while longer on the bench, she enjoys the cool crisp air and the smell of salt from the lake.

The morning turns to early afternoon before Lucy finally makes her way to the florist. There, she buys a half a dozen roses before waking though the thick forest to the memorial.

This is the first time that she has visited the small shrine dedicated to her friends since the funeral. It has an eerie, still air surrounding the cliff but creates more of a lonesome atmosphere than it does frightening.

Lucy lays the bouquet of roses at the bottom of the statue's feet before looking up at the beautiful fairy. "I'm sorry that I haven't been around recently. I just started handling the guild's financials and it looks like I'm going to keep me busy for a while…"

Laxus walks up the dirt path toward the fairy statue. It has become a part of his daily routine to visit the memorial.

Nearing the spot, he can see Lucy standing in front of the statue. He makes sure to stand back and give her enough space.

He can hear her talking about what everyone is doing and other important events that have happened in the past three weeks. It would seem strange to him for anyone to be talking to a statue if he didn't do the same damn thing every day.

Time passes as Lucy spends time with her lost friends. She hopes that they will return soon but she still talks as if they won't. After she has said her peace and her goodbyes, she turns to walk away but halts when she sees the blonde man behind her.

"Laxus? I didn't know you were here," Lucy says surprised.

"Just got here," Laxus lies as he steps closer to the woman.

"Oh I see. I was just telling everyone what is going on at the guild," Lucy says with a smile as she gestures to the fairy.

"Do you know how crazy that sounds?" Laxus asks with a frown.

She just shrugs her shoulders at his question. "How are you doing?" she asks with slight worry in her eyes. Every time that she has seen him since the funeral he has seemed somber.

He looks pointedly away from the blonde woman, "Exactly how I look."

Lucy pouts up at him before heaving a sigh. The stubbornness of this man always amazes her. "You know, if you ever want to talk to someone, I'll be happy to listen," she says as she smiles up at him.

He gives her a brief nod in understanding as quiet fills the gap between the two mages.

"Roses your favorite?" he asks to break the awkward silence.

Lucy looks over at the small bouquet that she laid down a few minutes ago. "No, roses aren't my favorite; Stargazer Lilies are my favorite flowers," she replies with a gentle smile.

"Why did you get roses then?" Laxus asks genuinely curious.

"Just thought they seemed more appropriate," she says with a slight chuckle. "Well I need to get to the guild. All of that paperwork is not going to do itself."

Laxus gives her a nod in farewell and steps aside for her. Lucy waves goodbye and starts her long trek to the guild hall. He turns to stand in front of the statue and starts his daily routine of talking with his grandfather and teammates.

Normally he feels mournful and alone but not today. Today he feels like a weight has begun to lift off his chest and feels more lighthearted. Deep down, he knew this day would come. The day that he stops grieving and moves on with his life.

* * *

The next day arrives and everyone in the Fairy Tail guild is in a pleasant mood. Save for one very annoyed, irritated, and depressed celestial spirit mage in a small room on the second floor.

As Lucy sits at her desk and stares at the multitude of numbers scattered all around her, she can't help but groan. The small communication lacrima sits on the edge of her desk and taunts her with its presence. She knows she needs to call Laxus and tell him her discovery but she can't seem to do it. The thought of be the bearing of bad news always puts her in an unproductive mood.

 _The sooner that I tell him the better_ , Lucy reasons with herself. Heaving a deep sigh, she reaches out and picks up the clear glass sphere and channels her magic into it.

A part of her is glad that Laxus keeps in contact with her despite the fact that he is exiled. The other part hates it because now she has no excuse to _not_ tell him what she has learned.

Within a few seconds, Laxus' spikey blonde head pops up in the crystal ball. "Lucy? Why are calling me?" he asks in his normal gruff voice.

"Are you busy by any chance?" she asks hesitantly. An itsy bitsy part of her hopes that he will say yes.

"Not particularly. Why?" he asks as he raises a thick yellow eyebrow.

 _So much for that idea…_ "Can you come to the guild? I need to ask you something in person," Lucy says as nicely as she can manage.

"How long will it take?"

"Not long. Ten minutes at most."

"Alright, I'll be there in a little while."

"Thanks Laxus. See you then."

Laxus grunts at her and hangs up the line. Lucy heaves another sigh and tries to convince herself to start working again.

A couple of hours later Laxus is studying the wooden door to Lucy's office. He went into this room once when he was little and he vowed to never go in again. He's also pretty sure that he had nightmares for a week afterwards. He has never liked paperwork nor has he really ever done it and this room is the epicenter for almost any paper that comes into the guild.

It's not that he doesn't understand why the paperwork must be done; it's just that he prefers to actually be doing something productive with his time. The idea of sitting in a stuffy office for hours on end repulses him.

Laxus takes a deep breath through his nose and opens the door. He immediately has to stop to take in the whirlwind of paperwork before him. There are large stacks of papers around the small desk, filing cabinets against either wall filed with overflowing sheets of paper, a huge cork board behind the desk with eight fliers on one side under the "S-Class" label and about fifty fliers under the "Other" label on the other side, and in the very middle of it all is a distressed and baffled Lucy.

It's his nightmare all over again.

He closes the door with enough force to jar the blonde behind the desk from her scattered thoughts.

"Oh Laxus, you came," she says as she relaxes from her jolt.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asks as he looks around at the mess.

Lucy glances around the room and pouts her lips in thought. "Exactly what it looks like. Paperwork."

Lucy scrunches up his nose in dismay but not without Lucy seeing it.

"Paperwork not your thing?" she asks with a giggle.

"I just prefer to be doing something with my hands. What do you want?" he asks bluntly.

"Did you take any these jobs?" she asks as she points toward the job requests behind her.

Laxus quirks an eyebrow at the woman behind the desk before doing a quick scan over the fliers. Nothing stands out to him and he shakes his head.

"Can I see your bank statements? I need to cross check some things," Lucy says hopefully.

"No and why would you need to cross check my shit?" he asks with a huff.

Lucy bites on her lip as she stares up at him. "You really want to know?" she asks hesitantly and with a slight cringe. He is not going to like this…

"That's why I asked you the first time," he says gruffly.

Lucy puffs out her cheeks in annoyance before sighing. "According to the guild's financial records you are stealing twelve-million jewel from the guild treasury."

Laxus' mouth drops open and his eyes widen in shock. "What do you mean I'm stealing twelve-million jewel from the guild?!" he demands in a loud voice.

Lucy raises her hands up as a wall between herself and the angry dragon slayer. "Ac-according to the books you have taken twelve-million more jewel than what you are supposed to have taken," she says hesitantly. She knew he wasn't going to take this well and she hasn't even gotten to the bad part yet. "If there government does an audit, you will more than likely go to prison for fraud, theft, or possibly extortion," she cringes.

"For how long?!" he asks astonished.

Lucy twiddles her fingers together. "Twenty to thirty years," she mumbles quietly.

Laxus' mouth drops open in shock but it quickly turns to anger. "This is bullshit! I didn't do anything!" Laxus snaps at the blonde woman.

"I know, I know but I still need to check-"

"You're going to take a fucking book's word over mine?!"

A look of hurt crosses Lucy's face at Laxus' words before her eyebrows scrunch together in irritation. "I said that I know you're not responsible! That's why I am asking you for your statements!"

"And you're going to make my problem just disappear into thin air?! That'll be the day!" he scoffs.

"I can try and make it go away if you would quit being so stupid and stubborn!" she yells back.

"And how is you looking through my stuff supposed to fix my supposed debt?!" Laxus demands.

Lucy slams her hands on the desk and stands up in her ire. "First off, it would tell me whether or not you took a job and how much you got paid. Secondly, it will be a lot more reliable and helpful than a certain _someone_ ," she spits.

"It is my business, not yours! So just keep your fucking nose out of it!"

"Well it's my business now and I demand that you show me your freaking bank statements!"

"How is this your goddamn business?!" Laxus bites.

"Because I am trying to keep your miserable, unappreciative, arrogant ass out of prison!" Lucy yells back with fire in her eyes.

He is taken aback by Lucy's words. With a huff, he stomps out of the room and slams the door behind him. He marches outside and toward the forest.

Lucy's lip quivers and a film of tears spread over her eyes as she sits back down in her chair. She clasps a hand over her mouth to soften her sobs. _What a colossal jerk. I'm sorry that I ever tried to help him…_

Cursing the man does very little to help her sadness though. She thought he would eagerly assist her if he knew about his problem but it seems that she was wrong. The whole encounter only served to make her upset. Upset about being yelled at, about not making any progress with the paperwork, and about how she still cares about Laxus' future.

She wipes her tears with the palm of her hand and sniffles. _I can't think about it right now. I just need to get my mind off of it,_ Lucy says to herself. She pulls out a section of the nearest stack of papers to organize. Soon enough, she is concentrating so hard on her task that she forgets all about her argument earlier.

However, this method only works until she arrives home. With no work to keep her mind busy, the argument wedges itself into the forefront of her mind.

Why would he yell at her? It's not like she asked him to kill anyone or anything. All she wanted was his bank statements so that she can clear up his debt to try and help him. Is that a crime?! No! Of course not! But somehow that's being meddlesome…

Okay, so maybe she was being a _bit_ meddlesome. Bank statements are really private things after all. And to top it off she outright demanded that he hand them over to her, with or without his consent. Then she pretty much declared that his business _was_ hers without explaining how exactly she was planning to use his statements.

If she thinks about it, she would peeved too if someone just squeezed themselves into her private affairs without so much as a word…alright, _really_ peeved.

She used to hate it whenever anyone used to break into her house from the blatant disregard of her privacy. Maybe that's how Laxus feels. Maybe he feels like she is trouncing all over his privacy. Which she kinda did. He was right; she should have just minded her own business and not have tried to get involved in his personal life without his permission.

"I guess I should apologize," she sighs.

Tucking herself into bed and turning off the light, Lucy tries to decide how to apologize to Laxus in the morning.

Meanwhile, Laxus is walking through Magnolia. The lampposts have flickered on and the stores along the road will be closing their shops in about an hour. He has spent the whole day walking around the forest and town clearing his head.

When he initially left the guild he was angry. Angry at how intrusive and pigheaded his fellow blonde is. What gives her the right to just butt into his life? She doesn't know anything about him. Nothing at all. He owes her nothing. Who knows, she might have been trying to get information to find some dirt on him. No one, except the Thunder Legion, has ever gone out of their way to help him from the kindness in their heart. So what are the chances that she would do such a thing?

But as time passed and he calmed down, he realized how foolish and immature he acted and that those chances are incredibly high.

He realized that she was only trying to help him. And that the reason she asked so many prying questions was _because_ she doesn't know him. She wouldn't use the information to hurt, bribe, or blackmail him; she's too nice for that. At least that's the impression he got from the few times he saw her before he got expelled and the few of weeks that they talked after Captain Lahar's news.

The biggest realization though is that he wasn't really angry at her. He was angry at everything else. Sure she was being a bit of a pain in the ass but nowhere near enough to warrant his verbal attack. Instead, it was the buildup of everything in the past couple of weeks. Everyone's deaths, the funeral, his fucked up emotions, not knowing what to do with himself; it all just came out in one argument and on to her. It isn't right and he knows it. He supposes that he should apologize but he wouldn't know ho-

"Flowers! Fresh flowers for sale!" a vendor calls out across the street.

Laxus is drawn out of his thought to look at the florist. Inside and outside of the medium sized building are a variety of flowers of all colors and shapes. He can identify a couple like the roses and the sunflowers but he doesn't know most of them. To him, they all blend together and he can't figure out where the one flower ends and the next begins.

 _Oh no, roses aren't my favorite; Stargazer Lilies are my favorite flowers_ , Lucy's voice and face resounds inside of his mind. The sudden memory sparks an idea.

Laxus walks up the man on the street. "Do you have any Stargazer Lilies?" he asks the florist.

* * *

The walk to the guild the next morning for Lucy is completely uneventful, to which she is grateful. She decided on what she is going to say to Laxus during her bath she took earlier so that she doesn't seem like she is badgering him again.

Due to being so early in the morning only the early risers are awake. Kinana is serving her three patrons: two unknown guild members on the other side of the guild and Laxus at the end of the bar.

Lucy walks over with her crutches next to the lightning slayer. He is wearing a sleeveless shirt with gray fur around the hem and loose purple pants. The absence of his coat is well noted by Lucy as she makes a mental picture of how perfectly sculpted his thick muscled arms look.

She pokes him in the shoulder to get his attention. "Hey Laxus, can I talk to you? It'll only take a couple of minutes," Lucy asks quietly as she stares at the floor.

Laxus gives her a small "hmm" to let her know that he is listening.

Lucy takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry about what I said yesterday. You were right. I shouldn't have demanded that you give me your bank statements without your permission. You're not stupid and you are very reliable and helpful. I shouldn't have been so nosy and I swear that I won't demand anything else from you again."

Silence fills the air between the two blondes as neither says anything. Laxus blinks heavily at the girl in front of him while Lucy continues to stare at the floor.

"U-um…that's all I have to say," Lucy says as she shifts nervously in front of the man. With a curt nod, Lucy turns away from Laxus and heads to the second floor.

Lucy calls Virgo out to help her up the stairs. The maid spirit asks for punishment before helping the crippled blonde up the stairs. Virgo drops Lucy off in front of her office door and with a bow disappears in a puff of smoke.

Lucy smiles at the space where the maid spirit was moments previously. Heaving a heavy sigh she prepares herself for the army of paperwork that is out to end her.

Opening the door she is startled by the sight before her. On the middle of her desk sits a bouquet of a dozen Stargazer Liles in a vase.

Still in shock, she unconsciously moves over to the front of her desk to get a better look at the beautiful display. The glass vase is intricate and looks like it is handmade. Small green leaves make up the base at the mouth of the vase. The dozen pink lilies stem through the leaves in a careful planned arrangement.

She mindlessly reaches out and gently caresses one flower as if to test that it isn't an illusion. Feeling the silky petals under her fingers confirms that these flowers are in fact, real.

A part of her can't bring itself to believe that someone got her flowers. What has she done? She hasn't been on any jobs lately to earn these so how can they be hers? Better yet, _who_ would get these for her? Maybe they are meant for someone else and they just got accidently put on her desk?

That is when she notices the small white envelope poking through the top of the bouquet. She carefully plucks it from in between the flowers and looks at it carefully.

Obviously it's a note.

She opens it with enough caution to not tear the delicate paper. A small stiff card sits inside with plain hand writing on it. It reads;

 _To Lucy,_

 _Sorry about yesterday. Thanks for trying to keep my miserable, unappreciative, arrogant ass out of prison._

 _\- Laxus_

Lucy reads the card once. She reads it twice. She reads it a third time and many times after that as she tries to process exactly what the little note means. Laxus Dreyar, THE Laxus Dreyar, got her flowers as an apology. Shocked into oblivion is the only way to describe her emotional state right now.

In fact, she is so stunned that she doesn't hear Laxus enter the room. He waits for her to notice him but she never does. She only stares at the little slip of paper in her hand with her eyes wide open. Tired of the unintentional awkward silence, Laxus gently pushes her forward as a way to break her out of her trance.

Her stupor is interrupted from the realization that she is falling. Quickly catching herself, she jerks her head around to the man who pushed her. "Laxus?" she says surprised.

"These are the ones you like, right?" he asks as he nods his head toward the flowers.

"O-o-oh yes! The-they're beautiful! But you didn't have to get these for me," she says breathlessly as she gestures between him and the flowers.

He shrugs his shoulders and reaches inside of his coat. He pulls out a stack of papers and hands them over to Lucy. "These are all of my bank statements," he says stoically.

Lucy's mouth drops open and her eyes shine with giddiness. "I can see them?!" she gasps as she clutches them to her chest.

"As long as I can stay and make sure that I don't go down as an extortionist," Laxus replies.

"You want to help?" she asks surprised.

He simply nods his head and walks over the board behind the desk. He picks two fliers under the "S-Class" section and sits them on the desk. "I think I took these two jobs," he says as he sits down in the chair across from the desk.

A bright smile crosses Lucy's face and determination fills her eyes. She gives him a firm nod before she waddles around the desk to her chair. Come hell or high water, she is going to help him out of this jam.

She asks him to place the flowers near the door so they don't get in the way and she immediately gets to work.

"Alright, since you're here this whole process should go a lot quicker. You should be able to tell me right off the bat if you remember a job or not and I don't have to make as many assumptions.

"All we need to do is cross reference your bank statements with the statements of the guild. If there are any discrepancies, than we will take note of that in the guild's old logbook. Then we have to find the flier for that job and confirm which statement is correct. If the guild record is wrong, which it most likely is, then we revise the record and write down the right number. We also assign a number to the flier and note that number next to the entry if we ever need to find it again. I'm am making a new general guild financial logbook that will take the place of the old one as well as making separate financial books for everyone. Everything will be in chronological order to make all of the cataloging easier. So once we find every flier of the jobs you've taken then I can write those down in your book and find out how much you owe," Lucy says as she pulls out a thick book with the words "S-Class" written in bold letters on the front.

"We have to do all of that?" he asks in disbelief. There is no way that anything should be that complicated.

"Yep. Just be happy that I can't find any receipts. Otherwise we would have to find, note, and attach those too. Besides, I have a feeling that your debt comes from some kind of written error of your S-Class jobs so it shouldn't take that long to find out where the mistake is written," Lucy says as she flips to the first page of her book.

Laxus can't decide on whether he should be horrified, concerned, or relieved at Lucy's words.

"Look at that, first page! The entry in the logbook says that you made three-million jewel while your statement says that you made six-million jewel." Lucy turns the book toward Laxus and points to the number. Just as she says, there is: his name, the date, the town name, a brief job description, and amount paid. In the amount paid box there is the words "3 Mill" written in it.

The sloppy handwriting already gives Laxus a bad feeling about the accuracy of this journal.

"Now all we need to do is find the correct flier and see which entry is right. Then I will make a note of it and add it the new general logbook and your personal logbook later," she says as she reaches out for the book.

"Okay. Where are the job fliers then?" Laxus asks as he looks around. Every piece of paper looks the same to him seems like he's looking for a needle in a haystack.

"Well, there is not really a certain 'spot' for them. They're kinda everywhere," Lucy says in an annoyed tone. "I've been trying to get everything organized but it's a slow process."

"Too much paperwork for you?" he quips with smirk.

"Mobility issues," Lucy grumbles. Laxus feels the corners of his mouth twitch upwards. "Hey I got an idea. How about you start organizing everything while I look through the books? I'll make notes on which ones need to have a flier attached and we'll find it once you get everything straightened out. That way you are doing something with your hands and not staring at numbers all day," Lucy says with a smile.

Laxus gives her a good, long look. How this woman who has her leg broken, been cooped up in this hell hole for over a week, and has to deal with every part of the guild's financials can be this cheerful is beyond him. "Sure, that sounds good," he says as he looks away from her piercing gaze.

"Great! You can start anywhere you like. Just know that I'll probably be asking you questions about certain missions if I'm not sure."

"Alright."

The two blondes set out to do their respective tasks. Lucy occasionally has Laxus fetch her something or ask his opinion on a matter.

* * *

When Lucy and Laxus started this whole operation, neither one could have possibly known about the complete ineptness of the person who did the guild's financials.

Some entries into the guild's logbook are correct but most are misplaced, wrong, or misdated. It is so bad that Lucy has to resolve to double check the date, amount, town name, or description of every entry to see if the particular entry she is looking for is accidently written down under someone else's name, had the wrong date, had the wrong amount, or is written on the wrong page of the damn book. Needless to say, Laxus was not happy about that development.

Laxus, on the other hand, has been making great progress. He has already cleaned out three cabinets and placed fliers, notes, journals, and other papers in separate piles. The fliers have also been placed in piles that are separated by year.

By the end of the day, Lucy and Laxus are mentally exhausted. Luckily, they have been able to go through all of his S-Class jobs and she feels confident that his debt has been squared away.

"Alright, now how much do I owe," Laxus asks as he plops down in the chair that he has deemed his.

"Let me see." Lucy pulls out her lacrima calculator and quickly adds up the new total from all of her findings. "You now owe…twenty-three million jewel," Lucy says as she does a double take at her calculator.

Laxus shoots forward in his chair. "What the hell?! You are supposed to be getting rid of my debt not adding to it!" he yells.

"Well…we didn't look through your normal jobs…" Lucy meekly defends herself. A part of her does feel terrible for putting him deeper into the hole.

Laxus frowns and runs his hand down his face. "How long do you think that will take?" he drawls.

"Probably all week," she says with a lopsided smile.

A thick, deep-seated groan rumbles in Laxus' chest as he leans back against his chair in misery. He knew this would be fucking awful…

Lucy nibbles on her lower lip in an effort to contain her giggles. He makes it seem like this is the worst thing imaginable when she can think of far worse things that could possibly be done in terms of paperwork.

"What time do you want to start tomorrow?" she says as lets a giggle slip at the end.

The mirth dancing in Lucy's eyes doesn't go unnoticed by Laxus and he can't help but scowl at her laughing at him. "Eight's good with me." he says with a huff.

"I'm sorry Laxus, I don't mean to laugh. I was just thinking about how you would react to some of the paperwork that I've seen. It's far worse than this," Lucy says as she waves toward the desk.

Laxus looks up at her mortified, "You've seen paperwork _worse_ than _this_?!"

The onslaught of laughter erupts from her throat and she has to clench her side for support. This is the most fun that she has had in a month.

* * *

"Hey Laxus?" Lucy asks without looking at him.

"What?" he says as he glances up from the filing cabinet he is sorting through.

"Is this a four or a nine?" Lucy says as she cocks her head to the side and scrunches up her nose.

Laxus puts his stack of papers that he is organizing down to walk around the desk and peer over the celestial mage's shoulder. She points to some kind of number that looks like a crooked four with squiggly half-line between two points. In his honest opinion it looks more like a seven than a four or a nine.

"Fuck if I know," he says as sincerely as he can muster in his confusion.

"Me neither," Lucy replies as she tilts her head the other direction.

"Just put it in the 'money' pile," Laxus says as he waves to the second largest stack of papers.

Due to the mess, Lucy and Laxus have had to make three separate piles of jobs that Laxus has taken. The "can't find" pile is for jobs that they can't find in the book, the "money" pile is for the jobs that they are not sure of the correct amount in the book, and the "finished" pile are the jobs that Lucy has found and noted in the logbook.

Just as Lucy predicted it has been nearly a week and the two mages are almost finished going through all of Laxus' jobs. It has been a long, tedious, and stressful journey but the two blondes are nearing the end.

Over the week, both Lucy and Laxus have learned to work well with one another. Lucy has learned that Laxus has a fierce hatred for anything paper or paper-like but she can't bring herself to ask about whatever traumatic experience he went through as a child to make him feel this way. Aside from that though, he is straight forward, honest, hardworking, and is the strong-silent type. Laxus has learned that Lucy _loves_ to complain and freaks out a lot. Anytime something doesn't make sense or she can't find a certain entry she curses the idiot that wrote the damn book. On the plus side, she is intensely intelligent, dedicated, caring, and can easily talk with anyone she comes into contact with. Except him, though that's more from him not talking a lot and her trying her damnedest to include him in almost everything. At the end of the day they complement each other's strengths and make up for each other's weaknesses.

"Alright, I think that's it," Lucy says with a sigh.

"We're finally done?" Laxus asks as he sits down across from the blonde haired woman.

"We should be. Let me check and see how much you owe." Lucy pulls out the dreaded device known as the calculator and starts adding up everything. She makes a few adjustments for all of the jobs that they are not sure about but most of the jobs have already been settled.

"You owe…" Lucy clicks the last few buttons on the calculator and narrows her eyes at the screen. She puffs out her cheeks in amusement. "…four jewel," she chuckles. The fact that they went from twelve-million to twenty-three million to four jewel makes her chest swell with pride and laughter.

Laxus gives her one of his cocky smirks as relief floods his system. He pulls out his wallet and hands over four measly jewels to Lucy and she happily takes it with one of her biggest smiles.

"I think this calls for a drink," Laxus says as he stands up. "You comin'?"

"Sure!" Lucy says as she grabs her crutches and walks past the tall man. He holds the door open for her and helps her down the steps.

They sit on the end of the bar and calls Kinana over for their drinks. Laxus orders a pint of beer and Lucy orders a strawberry smoothie. Kinana merrily brings them their orders and leaves to fill other orders.

Lucy starts asking about some of his jobs that she saw while organizing his paperwork. There were a few S-Class jobs that looked interesting to her and she has had some questions since the first day they started working together. Laxus has a calm smile as he answers all of her questions. This is the calmest and happiest that he has felt in the past month.

Laxus hears hushed whispers behind him. From the corner of his eye, he can see two men and a woman arguing with Macao. They point toward him and he can hear them call him a traitor. It doesn't take him long to figure out that they are questioning why he is inside of the guild that he was exiled from.

A few minutes pass before he sees Macao walking over with a somber look on his face.

"Laxus?" Master Macao says as he walks up to the two blondes.

Laxus "hmms" while Lucy asks with a tilt of her head, "What's going on Master?" She is still getting used to calling Macao "Master".

Macao clears his throat, "There are some members that believe that you should leave."

Laxus stands up without dispute. He knows that he doesn't deserve to be here. He's not a member any more after all.

A gentle hand on his forearm stops his movements though and he sees Lucy glaring at Macao.

"Why?" she asks as she lays eyes on the three members behind Macao.

"We just think that since he is exiled that he should _be_ exiled. As in not hanging out in the guild hall," one man retorts as he joins the conversation.

"He's not hurting anyone or getting in anyone's way," Lucy says coolly.

"He's a traitor," the second man says loudly. By this time everyone is paying attention to the argument.

Lucy scrunches her eyebrows together. "He made a mistake; one that he has been trying to make right."

"Just a mistake? Have you forgotten that you were one of the ones that he held as a hostage?" the woman says as she puts her hands on her hips.

"No, I remember it very well," Lucy says as she crosses her arms. Laxus' heart drop at her words and he clenches his fists. "But I forgave him a long time ago and if I can do it then so should you," Lucy declares valiantly.

Laxus jerks his head up to stare wide eyed at Lucy.

"Well some people are not as forgiving as you are," the first man says coldly.

"It doesn't matter if anyone is forgiving or not. The rules state that anyone who is exiled cannot come into contact with the members of the guild he or she is exiled from. That means that he has no right to be here," the woman quips with her nose in the air.

These three's pompous attitudes are starting to irritate Lucy but she keeps her cool. "Then make him a member again," she says simply.

A gasp is heard throughout the room. No one dares breathe as they gawk at the celestial mage. Including Laxus.

"Are you insane?!" the woman yells at Lucy. "You might as well just hand the guild over to him on a silver platter!"

"He won't attack the guild again! He is a different man and he deserves a second chance!" Lucy says adamantly. She will damned before losing this argument.

"It's the most logical thing to do. With everyone gone we have no S-class mages and most of our strongest members have been taken away as well. If he rejoins then we regain an S-Class mage and one of the strongest mages around. If we don't have any S-Class mages then Fairy Tail can't accept any S-Class jobs and that would _greatly_ hurt our reputation. And what we need right now is for everyone across Fiore to know that Fairy Tail is still the greatest guild in the land," Lucy explains with a nod.

"Now, hold on, hold on. We don't even know if Laxus wants to rejoin the guild," Macao says as he crosses his arms.

Everyone immediately turns to stare down the lightning slayer. He can't believe that this is happening. Here he is sitting inside of the guild he has been a part of his entire life as an excommunicated man and being defending by a woman who has been in the guild less than a year so he can rejoin the guild.

He looks up at Lucy to see her gazing back at him. All he can see is the hopefulness and expectance in her eyes. That look makes his mind goes fuzzy as it tries to process why she would go this far for him. Everything that the other guild members have said are true but Lucy has persevered and continued to defend him. She obviously wants him to join and he can't find any reason within himself to deny her what she desires.

"I want to come back," he says finally.

Lucy lets out a sigh of relief and faces her opponents with a smirk.

"How about we come to a compromise then? Laxus can rejoin the guild but he isn't allowed to fight and he has to help Lucy with all of the paperwork. That way, he can a part of the guild again and be under supervision," Macao says as he looks between the two groups.

Everyone takes Macao's words into consideration. Laxus immediately cringes at the thought of continuing the hell that is known as finances but he'll happily do it if it means him getting back into the guild. Plus he has Lucy there to help him.

Lucy is the first one to react. "I think that sounds fine. What do you think Laxus?" she asks him.

"Sounds like a plan to me," he nods.

Macao looks at the trio and waits for their answer. They look at one another as if they are trying to find a way out of this situation. Lucy's argument and the Master's compromise are very solid and leave no wiggle room. In complete reluctance, they agree to the terms.

"Alright then. Laxus, as the Forth Master of Fairy Tail, I hereby reinstate you as a member of Fairy Tail," Master Macao says with a huge grin.

Everyone, except the two men and woman, breaks out in cheers. Glasses full of beer clink together and arms are thrown into the air in happiness.

Laxus looks around at the cheerfulness of the guild and can't help but smirk. On the inside his heart has swelled from the welcoming that he is receiving. But the thing that grabs his attention the most is Lucy.

She has her hands clasped over her chest and has the biggest smile that he has seen spread across her face. The peals of laughter that flow from her make a perfect melody and seem to lift the very air in the guild hall. Everything about her screams happiness, joy, and mirth.

He cannot imagine a better homecoming gift.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you so much to all of the new followers and favoriters. You guys are awesome. And a special thank you to my reviewers. You have made my day with your wonderful comments and I hope you will continue to support me.**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

A knock resounds through the room to mix with the shuffle of papers turning, crunching, folding, and tearing. All of those noises halt as both of the blonde occupants look toward where the knock came from.

"Come in!" Lucy calls out from her small desk.

The door slowly opens upon the approved access. Biska pokes her head and shoulder through the crack in the door.

"Hey Biska! Come on in," Lucy exclaims as she waves the gun mage inside. She rarely sees anyone females anymore so she is happy to see the green haired woman.

Biska gentle opens the door and closes it just as softly. "Howdy Lucy, howdy Laxus. How's everything goin'?" she asks casually.

Lucy frowns at all of the paperwork around her before shooting Biska a lopsided smile. "Good if it wasn't for the exception of the sheets of doom that seem to want to murder us," she jokes. Laxus nods his head in totally agreement.

Biska gives them a worried look before Lucy says that she's joking. She swallows the lump in her throat before facing the blonde woman seriously. "Can I talk to you Lucy? Privately?"

Both women look at Laxus expectantly. "I guess I'll go get a beer," Laxus sighs as he rises from his chair. Without another word he leaves the two women alone and Biska quickly takes his seat across from Lucy.

"What's up?" Lucy asks as she leans back in her desk chair.

"I want to talk to you about something private," Biska says as she stares at her lap. "So you have to promise to not tell anyone."

Lucy feverishly nods her head. "Of course. I promise I won't say a word to anyone."

A deep blush spreads across Biska's cheeks as she takes a shaky breath. "Ho-how do you ask a man out?" she asks bashfully.

Silence fills the room as Lucy blinks at the woman across from her. A perfect idea pops into her head and Lucy's face drops into a devilish grin and narrowed eyes. "Is this man Alzack by any chance?" she asks with barely contained anticipation.

Biska sinks back into her chair. "Yes…" she mumbles.

Lucy claps her hands together in happiness. "You're finally gonna ask him out? I'm so happy for you," she says excitedly as her eyes shine with glee.

"We-well I want to, it's just…" Biska's blush reddens as she musters up courage to continue. "I don't know how. Do I just come out and say it? Or do I drop some hints and hope he picks up on it? Do you think he will say yes or will he reject me? I don't think I could live with the humiliation if he said no. I would die on old-"

"Woah, woah, hold on there Biska. Calm down," Lucy interjects as she holds up her hands.

Biska blushes deeper and takes a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm just nervous."

"I would be too if I was planning on asking the guy I liked out," Lucy says as she lays her cheek on her palm. "I guess I would just ask him straight out. But only in private and to go somewhere or do something I know we both enjoy. That way he feels less pressured and can give me his honest answer."

Raising her head, Biska gives Lucy a complicated look. "Do you like someone?"

Lucy jolts up in her seat as a light pink blush covers her cheeks. "No, I don't. That's just how I would handle it," she says slightly embarrassed.

"Well I think it's a fantastic idea," Biska reassures her friend as she scratches her cheek.

"Hey Biska? I'm not saying that I'm not glad that you would share this with me but why would you come to me?" Lucy asks curiously. She isn't exactly close to the woman so it's kinda strange that she would go to her about this sort of thing.

Biska gives her a smile, "You are a very kind person Lucy so I know that you would give me your honest opinion. And I also know that you can keep a secret."

Lucy gives her a bright smile at her reasons.

"We-well I won't keep botherin' ya," Biska says as she gets ready to leave.

"You would never bother me Biska. Good luck with your plan," Lucy gives her friend a knowing wink.

Biska gives her a small smile before closing the door behind her and leaving Lucy alone with her papers.

 _I hope that everything works out for her_ , Lucy thinks to herself. _If only I had someone like she does…_

"What was that about?" Laxus' gruff voice ends her train of thought as he renters the room with a stein of beer.

Lucy shakes her head to rid herself of any lingering thoughts. "Oh nothing special. Just girl stuff," she replies as she grabs a piece of unfinished work.

Laxus "hmms" at her but doesn't question it. Sitting back down in his chair, he starts resorting the papers he had pulled out of one of the filing cabinets.

Glancing up at the lightning slayer through her eyelashes, Lucy can't help but smile.

It has been two weeks since he was assigned to help her with the paperwork. A part of her believed that he would stop being so helpful once his jobs were taken care of and he was in the clear from his debt but that is not what happened. He continued to organize and sort everything as if his neck was still on the line and he didn't despise the work. It filled her with a weird sort of joy to see someone care about their guild mates in a very indirect way.

The most surprising thing though is that he has turned out to be a pretty great partner. Almost all of the time, they work extremely well together and rarely get in each other's way. His presence has made this whole job much more enjoyable. Some of that is thanks to her cast but she likes to daydream that their teamwork is just that great. Not to mention that he carries her up the stairs now instead of Virgo.

Speaking of her cast, she has a month and a half left before she can get the damn thing off. She is counting the days and eagerly awaiting the opportunity to do a job that doesn't require paperwork.

Laxus looks up from his sorting to see that Lucy is off in lala land again. He has realized that her mind tends to wonder a lot when she gets stuck on an idea. What she is thinking about this time, he has no clue. With a smirk he calls out to her to refocus her on the task in front of her.

Lucy snaps out of her reverie to see him with a smug smirk spread across his face. A blush dusts hers cheeks out of embarrassment of being caught daydreaming so blatantly. In the attempt to hide from the man, she buries herself in the paperwork.

* * *

The next two and a half week passes by peacefully for the mages of Fairy Tail. There were only two times that there was an upset. One, when Biska came in and announced that her and Alzack were dating. All of the girls went nuts over the development and congratulated them on their new found relationship. The other upset was when Captain Lahar came by and told everyone that no progress has been made in the search for Tenrou Island.

It has been a little over two months since everyone disappeared and while the news brought sadness to the guild, no grief followed. Everyone still holds out hope that the group on Tenrou Island will return one day but they need to continue on with their lives until then.

Lucy and Laxus steadily decrease the mess of the filing room into orderly stacks and workable logbooks. Every day that passes makes it easier for the guild's blondes and increases their speed in which they sort, file, and write everything.

They are halfway through the day when they hear Macao yelling downstairs. They stop to listen but can only hear select words like "photograph", "out", and "story". Giving each other a curious glance they leave the room to look over the second floor balcony down into the main guild hall.

Lucy and Laxus deadpan when they see the instigator of the commotion. Flying around the room and spouting off a hundred questions is none other than Sorcerer Weekly's Jason. His camera flashes as he takes a million photos of everything, anything, and everyone.

Macao continues to yell at him in a sad attempt to calm the excited blonde man. It does little to curb his enthusiasm and he persists in his endeavor to cover the story he was sent there to report on.

Jason corners Macao and asks about the members on Tenrou Island. More specifically, whether or not if the rumors that they all have passed away are true. Macao hesitates at first before sadly sighing. He tells Jason that the rumors are true and how everyone was shocked by the news.

The reporter's eyes light up when he hears that his hunch is correct but restrains himself from going overboard with his questions. The subject is very sensitive and if he wants to get the whole story he needs a touch of delicacy. He goes around to all of the members and asks them about their thoughts on the passing of their guild mates.

"Are gonna go down there?" Laxus asks as he eyes the woman next to him. The two people who know the story the best are him and Lucy and there is no way in the blazing fires of hell that he is talking to the pushy reporter.

Lucy looks down at her clothes and scowls. Today just had to be the day that she decided to come to the guild wearing nothing but a baggy t-shirt and an incredible loose skirt. Of course it did…

She rolls her eyes up and pouts at him. "If you think that I am about to have my picture taken when I have a broken leg and look like a complete bozo, you have another thing coming," Lucy playfully threatens the tall slayer. As quickly as she can manage, she slides back inside of their office to hide from the overzealous reporter.

Laxus turns his head to look back down at the first floor. Jason is now harassing a bashful Biska and Alzack about their relationship. A smirk spreads over his lips as he chuckles. It seems that hiding away in that office is good for something after all. With a final once over, he retreats back into his and Lucy's domicile.

Four days later the weekly edition of Sorcerer's Weekly is published on Friday. On the front is the headline 'Fairies Fly to Far Fields' with a picture of everyone that was on Tenrou Island in the background. The inside begins with the story of how Fairy Tail has lost some of its core members and its Third Master. It then goes on to list the members and their achievements that the magazine had reported on in the past.

Most of the magazine is pictures on the past members with some sparse pictures of the living members. Unsurprisingly, recent pictures of Lucy and Laxus are nowhere to be found. They are mentioned, however, in the story of how the guild found out about the news.

At the end is how the current members are doing and recent happening in their lives. Mostly how Macao Conbolt is the new Master of Fairy Tail. All in all, the magazine is professional and honest toward the harsh reality and presents itself in a very sentimental way. It makes all of Fairy Tail proud.

Lucy makes sure to but herself a copy and stores it in a small safe where she keeps anything of immense worth. This magazine has immense sentimental value and it reminds her of all of her friend's accomplishments. She will treasure it for the rest of her life.

The weekend is a blur for everyone in the guild. While Magnolia was informed the week of the funeral, the rest of Fiore learned of their guild's loss through the magazine.

Old friends come by the guild to pay their respects and to give their condolences. Lucy recognizes some of the people.

Lyon, Jura, Yuka, and Toby from Lamia Scale are among the first and the saddest to arrive. Lyon reminisces about his history and rivalry with Gray while Yuka and Toby are there for moral support. Hearing odd stories about Gray fills Lucy's heart with bittersweet happiness. Jura gives Laxus his condolences and tells the blonde man that he looked up to Makarov as a fellow Wizard Saint. As much as he hates to admit it, Laxus is proud that someone admired his gramps.

Others gradually appear and each is sentimental toward everyone in the guild. Some sentiments are better than others but they all blend together.

* * *

Sunlight bleeds through the curtains as the morning sun rises above the horizon. The light brightens the celestial spirit's apartment and slowly wakes the slumbering mage. She groggily opens her eyes with a wide yawn. Sitting up in her bed, she stretches her arms above head. She smiles as she looks at the window before swinging her leg out of bed and starting her daily morning routine. Today, she has picked out a pretty light blue dress that is longer in the back than in the front and shows off some cleavage.

All of the hours that her and Laxus have been putting in to finish the paperwork have come to a head and they should finish the last remnants of it today. To top it off, they are going to go out to dinner tonight to celebrate their success over the stress, exhaustion, and confusion brought on by the dreaded paperwork. It was her idea. This is the first time that she has a reason to dress up and she doesn't want to waste it.

When she finally makes it to the guild Laxus has already arrived. She gives him one of her brightest smiles as she asks him if he is ready for today. He simply nods before picking her up and walking up the staircase.

He drops her in front of the door and opens it to let her pass him. As she hobbles inside, he discreetly takes a deep breath to breathe in her scent. Ever since they have been working together, her scent has ingrained itself into his memory. He has become tremendously fond of the smell to the point that he considers it one of the high points of always being in close proximity to the blonde. On more than one occasion he has caught himself wishing that he could bottle it so he could carry it with him. Of course he always called himself an idiot after those thoughts.

Another thing he noticed is how attractive she looks today. It's very obvious that she is looking forward to their dinner and can't help but inwardly smirk at the thought of her wanting to spend some non-guild time with him. Good thing he made sure to wear his purple button down shirt and black pants. He knew today was going to be a good day when he woke up.

Lucy takes two steps inside and comes to a dead stop. In the middle of the floor sits a huge trash bag. _When did that get there?_ She wonders as she cocks her head to the side in confusion and Laxus comes to stand beside her.

"Hey! I'm glad that you're both here," Macao's voice rings as he steps up behind the two blondes.

Lucy notices the second trash bag in Macao's hands and can feel her confusion grow. "Hey Master, what's with the trash bags?"

Macao gives her a big smile as he walks between her and Laxus to deposit the bag next to the first. "You will never guess what I found in the basement," he says with a grunt.

"What?" Laxus asks slightly curious.

Macao opens the bag that he just brought in and pulls out small slips of paper with miniscule writing on them. "I found the receipts!" he says happily.

Lucy and Laxus' mouths drop and eyes go wide at the news.

"Y-you mean…bo-both of the bags have receipts in them?" Lucy stutters. It'll take a week to go through those!

"Yep and I am getting Wakaba to help me carry the other six bags up," Macao says as he begins to walk out the door.

Harsh, unfair reality crashes down on the two blondes. They loss all of their complexion and look like that have just been scared to death with a look of utter horror on their faces. A sound that is a cross between a gasp, choke, and sob seeps out of Lucy's unconscious body. _No…No there's no way…Fate cannot be this cruel,_ they think simultaneously. Just when they thought they were out, they get pulled right back in.

"Oh I almost forgot to mention," Macao continues as he leans around the door. "I'm gonna be in a lot of conferences for the next two weeks so if there are any issues then just talk to Wakaba. He'll be filling in for me until my schedule is clear."

Neither Laxus nor Lucy move as they are still rendered immobile from the shock. Macao takes that as a silent consent and makes his way back downstairs. Over the next ten minutes, Wakaba and Macao bring up the other six bags of receipts and lay them around the frozen blondes.

Once Macao closes the door to the filing room, Lucy lets out a strangled cry and groans about how much the world hates her. Slowly dragging herself to the desk she is barely able to convince herself to get to work finishing up the last bit of paperwork that she had been working on the day previously.

Laxus isn't much better. But he opens up one bag and begins pulling the slips of paper and reading over each one.

Guess that celebratory dinner is gonna have to wait.

* * *

"Are you sure that the paperwork hasn't been filled out?" Macao's voice echoes through the wall and into the filing room.

Lucy slams her forehead on the desk and groans in dread. Master has been having this damn conversation for the last week and a half and it's always the same damn thing. First they say that something went wrong with the paperwork and then no one knows what is wrong or how to fix it and Macao argues with them for four hours on putting in a new request. Which he always does and it starts the process all over again. She just wants to go in there and yell at everyone how stupidly incompetent they are and to get a new job.

She throws her hands up and slams them down on the desk. The sudden noise catches Laxus' attention and he doesn't even have to ask what she is going to complain about. He has heard the same thing ever since Macao started his conferences.

"I can't take this anymore! All I hear is Master arguing with someone over the same freaking thing a hundred times and I refuse to listen to it anymore!" she says as she slams her hands on the desk again to emphasize her point.

Yep, same exact thing. "How? These walls are paper thin," Laxus says blandly.

"Then I will leave the guild and do the paperwork at home! I don't care where I do it as long as I don't have to listen to _that_ ," she hisses as she points to the wall that separates them from Macao.

Laxus' eyebrows shoot up at her suggestion before relaxing into a thoughtful look. Getting out of this stuffy office sounds like great plan and he wouldn't have to listen to the arguing either. "That's a good idea," he says as he crosses his arms.

Lucy's mouth opens to argue with him when his words hit her like a brick. "What?" she says dumbly as blinks at him.

"I think it's a good idea. You should tell Wakaba," Laxus insists.

"You wouldn't mind doing this at my house?" Lucy asks as she stares wide eyed at the man.

"It can't be any worse than this office," Laxus says nonchalantly.

"I'll take that as a yes," Lucy mumbles while sweatdropping. She claps her hands together before standing up from her desk. "Alright, I'm going to go tell Wakaba up about my idea. Be right back."

Lucy hobbles out of the filing room and to the banister. She calls up the temporary master from above. The man with the pompadour walks up the stairs to meet her. They begin to discuss the possibility of moving all of the remaining paperwork to her home so she and Laxus can work without any distractions. Wakaba is a bit apprehensive at first but Lucy wins him over in the end. He arranges for Laxus, Romeo, Jet, and Droy to start taking everything that still needs to be organized from the filing room over to her apartment today. That way her and Laxus can get back to work tomorrow. Lucy is so happy that she almost gave the man a hug. Almost.

Just as Wakaba said he orders Laxus, Romeo, Jet, and Droy to start moving everything out the filing room pronto. Lucy helps keep everything in order and escorts everyone to her apartment. After everyone knows where to go, Lucy stays and organizes the paperwork so that it doesn't get in anyone's way.

The rest of the day passes as all of the receipts, fliers, and other papers are promptly moved to the small apartment. By some miracle, Lucy manages to put everything in its proper place without too much hindrance. At the end of the day her apartment has all of her belongings along with stacks of paper on her table, desk, floor, and bookshelves.

Romeo, Jet, and Droy all leave complaining about their tired shoulders and how much of a slave driver Wakaba and Lucy are. Laxus stays behind to make sure everything is placed correctly. He asks when he should come over tomorrow, to which Lucy tells him that she thinks that they should take the day off. A huge sigh of relief overcomes Laxus as he exhales a deep breath. He has been needing a day off.

Lucy and Laxus say their goodnights and go their separate ways. Lucy starts her nightly routine of brushing her hair, brushing her teeth, changing into her pajamas, write a letter to her mom, and turning off all of lights. She pulls back her covers and snuggles into her comfortable bed for the night. Tomorrow is going to be great.

The next day Lucy wakes up bright and early. She throws the covers back and gets ready for her day with a burst of energy. Today is the day that she gets her cast off. She will still have to take it easy but she can finally have the hard plaster off of her body. Nothing can ruin today.

The hospital in Hargeon sent her records over to Magnolia hospital so she doesn't have to leave town. Something she is grateful for. Her appointment is in two hours but she wants to get there early.

She takes a short bath and throws on a simple white dress. The bright March sunshine warms her skin as she takes her stroll to the hospital.

The hospital is a large building with red walls and rows of windows for each of its four stories. A beautiful garden sits out front and patients wander the grounds.

Lucy walks up to the front desk clerk and tells her about her appointment. The clerk escorts her to a white room with a doctor's table. Lucy hoists herself up onto the table and patiently waits for the doctor.

Two hours later, Lucy is limping outside with nothing more than her two crutches and some bandages around her shin and ankle. She puffs out her chest as she takes a deep breath and a happy sigh. She rolls her ankle around and pushes her leg out. It might appear ridiculous to anyone watching the blonde but she could care less. She finally has a huge part of her mobility back and she feels like she could sing.

The doctor said that her leg was healing right on schedule and that she should have two more weeks left before it is completely healed. She will have to keep bandages on it to keep out any infections, not put very much pressure on it, and to not do anything strenuous. Otherwise she can go back to how she was before her leg broke.

Deciding that today is a day of celebration, she walks to the market. She is going to make herself a fabulous dinner to commemorate the occasion. Maybe something with pasta…

* * *

A knock resounds on Lucy's door. She hurries to answer it so that she can brag about her leg. Laxus stands there looking surprised at how quickly she was able to answer the door. Usually her cast…

"Check it out!" Lucy exclaims as she waves toward her bandaged leg.

He looks down to see her cast gone and understanding suddenly hits him. "It's a leg," Laxus says with a small quirk of his lips. He is happy for her but he isn't going to tell her that outright.

"It's a _nonbroken_ leg," she corrects him with excitement. Not even his sarcastic quips can bring down her happiness.

"Is this what you had to do yesterday?" he asks as he pushes past her into her apartment.

"Yep! And I made myself a great dinner too!" she says proudly. Most people don't realize how much their mobility is impaired with having only one working limb. So when they can finally get back to doing regular things they can't help but feel proud of themselves. Much like her.

"Oh, what did you make?" he asks as he plops down in her armchair.

"Sundried tomato fettuccine alfredo with balsamic bruschetta on the side," she replies with a proud nod.

"Sounds good," he nods. He has no idea what that is but it sounds delicious.

Lucy gives him a wide grin. "It is. I'm making some breakfast right now and was planning on having some of the leftovers for lunch. Would you like to join me?" she offers.

Laxus opens his mouth to reply but a growl from his stomach answers for him. "Sure," he grumbles.

Without a laugh or word Lucy limps into her kitchen to finish breakfast. She has made a point to walk around on her leg without her crutches inside of her apartment. That way she can strengthen he leg without doing too much strenuous activity.

Fifteen minutes later she brings out two plates filled with eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, and two pancakes stacked on top of each other. Her plate is substantially smaller than his but still has a little bit of everything. He blinks at his plate before quirking at eyebrow at her. "You made all of this?" he asks incredulously.

She looks up from her plate and looks surprised by his surprise. "Yeah," she says as if it is obvious.

"Why cook so much?" he asks dumbfounded. Surely she wasn't planning to eat all of this.

Lucy scoffs as she resumes laying the butter and syrup out for the pancakes. "You forget that I used to feed a certain pink haired fire dragon slayer whose stomach was a bottomless void. And his pesky blue cat. _This_ is nothing," she replies with a slap of butter on her pancake. "Besides I prepared enough just in case you happened to be hungry and I figured you would eat a lot."

Laxus slowly nods his head in understanding. Of course, how could he forget Natsu? Sure he has a huge appetite due to being a dragon slayer but at least he knows when to stop. Unlike a certain fire breathing stomach of a man who was partners with the blonde woman. He looks down at the platter before him and spreads some butter and syrup on his pancakes before taking a bite.

The pancake melts in his mouth and swirls over his taste buds. Mixed with the sweet butter and the sticky syrup, it is easily one of the best things he has ever tasted. It must show how much he enjoys her cooking because a light giggle pulls him out of his food heaven to see Lucy giggling while watching his expressions. A small embarrassed blush creeps up onto his cheeks as he starts to devour the rest of his food. If the pancake is that good then all of the other food should be the same.

Happiness and pride feels Lucy's chest as she watches Laxus enjoy his meal. She doesn't know why but she enjoys cooking for other people. Always has. Team Natsu used to compliment her cooking all the time but lately she hasn't had the opportunity to cook for anyone. Now that Laxus is here, she has the perfect excuse to cook for him. He's her own little guinea pig.

Pushing aside her odd thoughts she digs into her own plate of food.

After their breakfast, both blondes set out to finish as much of the receipts as possible. It takes some time to get use to the new organizational setting that came with moving everything but soon enough they are working like a well-oiled machine.

* * *

Around lunch time two days later, Lucy and Laxus take a break from their paperwork.

"I hate roast beef," Laxus says as he crosses his arms.

"Really?" she asks as she looks at him wide eyed from behind her refrigerator door. She loves roast beef and can't see how anyone can hate it.

"Yep."

"Well then I'll just have to make you like it," Lucy declares with her hands on her hips.

Laxus scoffs at her declaration. There is no way in hell that she can make a sandwich with roast beef taste good. No way.

"Alright then, I'll make you a sandwich for lunch with roast beef and you'll tell me if you like it," Lucy says as she holds her hands up in determination.

"You're on," he says as he makes his way back into the living room. If she can do it then he'll give her credit for it. "Not today though," he calls from the living room.

With the challenge set, Lucy thinks over her strategy while preparing their lunches.

Meanwhile Laxus looks around the room to pass the time. He has never spent time studying her belongings and now seems like a great time to do so.

Typical home belongings are spread out around the apartment; books, clothes, a desk with some important looking papers, and a queen sized bed with a pink comforter are only some of the things he can see immediately. Then one particular item catches his eye.

On Lucy's desk he sees a picture frame with a blonde woman inside of it. At first he thought it was Lucy but upon closer inspection he saw that this woman is older. Not too much older though, maybe in her late twenties. He takes it off her desk to have a closer look. It amazes him how similar she is to Lucy.

Lucy limps back into the room with the sandwiches and sees Laxus looking at her stuff. She sets everything down on the table and limps over to Laxus' side. A small smile spreads across her face when she sees what he is looking so adamantly at. "That's my mom," she says.

"You look just like her," Laxus states the incredibly obvious without looking at the petite woman.

"Yeah, that's what all of our maids and butlers said too," she giggles.

He flips the frame over to see if there is a date written somewhere. "When was this taken?" he asks with raised eyebrows.

"Shortly before she died," Lucy says sadly. Laxus looks down at the girl to find her gazing longingly at the picture. "My mom died when I was ten. It was horrible; everyone was sad and mournful. I can't tell you how much I miss her. I write to her as a way of keeping her with me."

"You write her?" Laxus asks skeptically.

Lucy goes over to a chest and opens it to reveal a hundred different envelopes all addressed to her mom. "I don't send them but I like to pretend that she is reading them elsewhere."

Laxus looks between the envelopes and Lucy as she he gazes fondly at the box. It's obvious to him that she cares very deeply for her mother. A part of him really wishes that he could say the same about his.

"What about yours?" Lucy asks as she puts her chest away. "What's your mom like?"

Laxus looks away and crosses his arms. "I don't know. I never met her," he says reluctantly. "She died when I was a baby."

Lucy gasps as she covers her mouth with her hands. Moisture glistens along her eyelid as she looks at the man with remorse. "Laxus, I…I'm so sorry. I didn't know," she apologizes.

"Forget it," he reassures her. "Can't miss someone I never knew. What did you make for lunch?" he says as he effectively changes the subject.

Lucy bites on her lip to stay her questions. Didn't he ever try and find anything out about her? How did she die? What did she look like?

A glint of the sorrow remains her eyes as she tells him about his turkey sandwich with a mustard spread, tomatoes, lettuce, and white bread. She joins him with her own sandwich and the two eat in silence.

* * *

Three days later, Lucy and Laxus are about three-quarters of the way done with the receipts. Another week should suffice and they will be done with everything. Neither one can wait.

A knock sounds on the door and stops the blondes' pace. "That's probably Romeo with more paperwork," Lucy sighs as she rises from her chair to answer the door.

Laxus groans at the thought of more paperwork. Why can't Macao just cool it for one damn day? "I'm gonna get some lunch," he announces as he moves toward the kitchen.

"There should be a sandwich in there with your name on it," Lucy calls across the room as she grasps the door knob.

"Is this the roast beef sandwich?" Laxus voice echoes through the room.

"Yes and be honest if you like it or not," she calls back while opening the door.

"Hey Ro-" she stops when she opens the door and she sees a pair tan pants where Romeo's head usually is. Dragging her eyes up, she sees a cleanly pressed tan suit that leads to a perfectly tied blue tie. At eye level she sees a firm chin and mouth with a thick blonde moustache that lies on top. Still further, her brown eyes collide with slender brown eyes and blonde eyebrows.

"Dad?" she says in utter surprise. What is he doing here?

"Hello Lucy," he says in his normal firm tone.

They stare at one another for a couple of minutes before Jude clears his throat. "May I come in?" he asks.

His voice jolts Lucy out of her shock and she looks around embarrassed. "Oh! Yeah, come on in," she says hastily as she sidesteps out of the way.

Jude walks past his daughter and into the small apartment. The first thing he notices is the multiple stacks of papers covering her desk, table, bookshelves, and dresser. The second thing he notices is how well the entire apartment is taken care of and maintained despite the sheer amount of papers. The third, and most prominent, thing he notices is that the room is dense with magical energy. Jude sucks in a ragged breath as he gasps for air as indiscreetly as he can. The hair on his arms and back of neck stand on end as if there is static electricity lingering in the air. He knows his daughter is able to use magic but she doesn't have enough magic to make the very air suffocating. So where is this sensation coming from?

"Sorry about that, I was just surprised to see you," Lucy says as she tries to explain her rudeness. She closes the door and limps past him to sit down in one of the chairs at the table. "You wanna sit down?" she says as she points to the other chair.

As she walks past him, Jude notices her limping. He takes careful observation of the bandages around her shin and furrows his eyebrows together with worry. "No, I'm fine. Are you alright?" he asks with concern.

"Yeah, I'm good," she says as she rolls her leg around. Ah, the freedom…

"Hey Luc-" Laxus says as he walks back into the living room with his sandwich and a beer. Upon seeing the strange man he stops in his tracks and tenses as he throws up his guard. This has been his habit around strangers for as long as he can remember.

The older man has darker blonde hair like him and keeps it slicked back. His clothes are extremely neat and well kept and he looks to be a business man. Laxus doesn't sense any magical energy inside of the man so he can't be a mage but that doesn't mean that he isn't dangerous. Laxus notes how close the new man is standing in proximity to Lucy and deduces that he will have to use his lightning magic to get in between the two if something were to happen. If this guy gives off any indication to bring any harm to Lucy, then he will be lucky to live.

Jude looks over at the man who just entered the room and his back becomes rigid. Usually he is not a man to be intimidated but he feels small compared to this new man. Everything about him screams powerful; he stands a whole head and shoulders over Jude and has bulging muscles covering every inch of his body. The man's tight sleeveless shirt leaves no room for questions in that regard. On his face resides a scar that spears down over his right eye before jutting over his cheek. Deep green eyes glare at him as they challenge him to make one wrong move. His deep set frown finishes his look and concretes the serious and menacing appearance the man outputs. And his power…It is undeniable that the electricity in the room is literally being fed by this one man. The idea of the scarred man's sheer power is almost enough the make Jude's knees quake.

Lucy looks between the two men and realizes that she is being rude once more. "Laxus this is my dad, Jude," she says to Laxus as she points to her father. "Dad, this is Laxus Dreyar," she says as she looks at her father and points to Laxus.

The tense atmosphere between the two males heightens as Jude gives a small nod in greeting while Laxus remains silent and unmoving.

Deciding that the smaller man is no threat to himself or Lucy, Laxus takes his seat in the other chair at the table. Lucy gives him a smile and asks him if he found everything alright. He gives her a nod and thanks her for the sandwich before chomping on the glory that is Lucy's cooking.

"Is it good?" Lucy asks expectantly. She has been waiting all day for him to have the sandwich she made for him and she wants to know if he likes it.

"It's better than good," Laxus says between bites. It amazes him that she can even make roast beef taste heavenly.

Pride and excitement flit through Lucy at Laxus' compliment. She claps her hands together and giggles at her accomplishment. "And you said you would never like roast beef…" she says as she gives him a knowing look.

"I stand corrected," Laxus admits as he takes a swig of his beer. Lucy's smile nearly splits her face and she semi-dances in her chair as she congratulates herself.

Bewilderment overcomes Jude as he gawks at his daughter. She made him lunch? Why would she do that? She must be perfectly comfortable being in the same room with this young man. Yet she is so much smaller than him but she doesn't seem to be even slightly afraid of him. It's as if she is completely immune to the effects that this Laxus fellow emits. Has she just been around him too long that she has become used to it? If so, then it would explain why the two are conversing like old friends. Or more than friends…

"So why are you here dad?" Lucy says as she faces her father.

Jude closes his mouth and clears his throat. He can't let this Laxus fellow know that he has shaken something inside of him. "I was in town and I wanted to see you," he replies hesitantly. Deep down his worst fear is that she doesn't want to see him. Although he wouldn't blame her if she didn't. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry for your loss."

Lucy bites on her lip and nods her head, "Thanks dad."

Silence fills the air as the three blondes do not speak. Jude looks around the apartment as if he is waiting for Lucy to say something. Lucy is staring at her lap and doesn't know what to say to her father. Laxus is quietly observing the other two from across the table with a frown.

"Is this your job now?" Jude asks as he looks between the paperwork and his daughter.

"For the time being. The Master gave me this job so I can earn some money while my leg is broken. Laxus has been helping me out for the past two months. I'll be able to do regular jobs again once my leg is fully healed," Lucy replies.

"I see. Well since you're busy, I won't keep you. But I was wondering…if we might be able to go to dinner tonight?"

"Oh, um…" Lucy looks around at all of the paperwork around her before looking across the table at Laxus. "Would you mind if we ended a little bit earlier tonight?" she asks the lightning slayer.

Laxus shrugs his shoulders to her question.

"Sure, we can go to dinner. There is this little place down the street that has good food. What time would you like to eat?" Lucy says as she gives him a small smile.

"Seven is fine," Jude says with a brief nod.

"Sounds good," Lucy returns his nod with one of her own.

"Then I'll be taking my leave. It was a pleasure meeting you Laxus," Jude says as he looks Laxus in the eye.

Laxus grunts at the man and remains seated. Lucy leads her father to the door and tells him that she will see him at the restaurant at seven. They exchange awkward goodbyes before Jude leaves the building.

With a heavy sigh Lucy repositions herself back at the table. She grabs a piece of paper and appears to start working again.

Not moving from his spot, Laxus eyes her curiously. Now, he is not good at reading the atmosphere. Never has been. But that? Even he can tell that there is tremendous awkwardness between those two. What happened between them? Should he ask? He got all uppity about her butting into his life so she probably won't want him gettin-"

"Sorry about that. We're still trying to get used to one another again," Lucy says as she looks up from her paperwork.

Laxus looks at her as he debates on whether or not to delve deeper into her personal affairs. The curiosity wins out and he asks, "What do you mean?"

Lucy sits back in her chair with her lips slightly downturned. "We had a falling out about six months ago but reconciled a little while later. So we are trying to get on better terms with one another again."

"What happened?" Laxus asks genuinely interested.

She worries her lip as she decides on where to start. "When my mom died, my dad buried himself with his work out of grief. He became so busy with work that he turned into a cold man that only cared about his business. Over the years his coldness became consumed with neglect and he refused to have anything to do with me. It was so bad that I used to think that deep down in his heart, in some far corner, he hated me. That he absolutely despised my existence and wished that I had never been born," Lucy chokes on the last few words. As true as they are, she still has a hard time saying them.

Laxus' eyebrows rise in surprise at her words. Lucy takes a moment to compose herself before continuing with her story.

"I tried to get his attention. I honestly did. I thought that if I showed how good of a daughter I am that he would finally acknowledge me. So I excelled in all of my studies and never made trouble for anyone. But that wasn't good enough. He never spoke or looked at me no matter how hard I worked at making him happy.

"One day, I overheard him talking to a business rival about a marriage proposal. I would marry the son of a business rival and his and my dad's company would merge. That…That was the last straw. I couldn't do it. I couldn't just give away my freedom and dreams because he wanted to preserve his business.

"I realized on that day that he didn't give a damn about me and that he never would. No matter what I did. So I left home on my sixteenth birthday. I left to forge my own path. I traveled for a year before Natsu brought me to the guild. I never heard a word from the guy until he hired Phantom Lord to retrieve me so I could get married."

The dark guild's name makes Laxus swallow the chunk in his throat. The moment that he mocked Fairy Tail and Lucy in their time of need was one of his lowest moments and he tries not to remember it.

"When Fairy Tail won the war, I went and visited him at the Heartfilia Konzern. He was as impassive and dismissive as I remembered him to be. He told me that I was to marry a man that I did not love and to have a son that will be my dad's heir. As if I was good for nothing more than breeding," Lucy scoffs.

"But I didn't go back to get married. I went back to tell him that I was done with him and his business. That I wasn't Lucky Lucy Heartfilia anymore but Lucy of Fairy Tail and that if he ever tried to harm my guild again, we wouldn't take mercy on him. That was the last thing I said to him. Or at least that was the last thing I planned on saying to him.

"About a month later, he came to Magnolia in order to find me. He told me that he lost the business and was flat broke. The business rival whose son I was supposed to marry bought him out from underneath him and took away everything. He demanded that I give him money to help him as he helped me all my life. But I refused."

Laxus clenched his fist when he hears how pompous her dad acted. Throwing that back into his daughter's face is just wrong.

"The next day we talked and he told me how regretful he was about how he treated me. He also asked if I could give him a second chance. It didn't soothe the pain or scars that he caused me but I believe in second chances. I told him that we could try and left with some hope that our relationship can be somewhat mended. I don't know if it will ever truly heal but at least I can say that I tried."

Laxus face falls at Lucy's story. He had no idea that her life so closely paralleled his own…

"You know…I always felt like the coat at the back of the closet," Lucy says with sadness etched into her eyes and voice. Laxus wrinkles his nose in wonder at the odd metaphor.

"You know how everyone always has that certain coat that hangs in the back of the closet but never gets worn. It just stays there forgotten by its owner. Then one day, the coat finally gets used. It does its purpose for one or two days, maybe even gets shown off. But as soon as its job is over and it is no longer needed, it gets shoved back into the closet and forgotten all over again. That is how I always felt. Like he only cared that I was there when I was useful and then he threw me away and forgot about me when I wasn't."

Laxus' eyes slightly widen and his heart slows down. That comparison…he knows it all too well. That is how he has felt all of his life when it comes to him and his dad. His father was a complete deadbeat and never gave or did anything for him. But his pops always told him that he expected him to be strong and to acquire as much power as possible. That was the reason that he worked so hard for most of his life. All he wanted was his dad's acknowledgment and love. But it never came. He was just discarded like a coat. Sympathy and understanding fill his chest as he gazes at Lucy.

"That's why everything is so awkward between us. But at least we're talking. That's a step in the right direction," Lucy says with a small smile

Laxus stares at her in amazement. He doesn't know what he would do if his dad came out of the blue and asked if they could start over. To give them a second chance. He doubts he would give his old man the opportunity. It's too painful.

Lucy sees the hurt in Laxus' eyes and his rigged posture. She thinks she did or said something wrong and becomes all flustered. "I-I'm sorry. You probably didn't want to hear my sob story."

"No that's not it. It's just…" he stops as he tries to figure out how to continue. "I get it. You're the kettle preaching to the cauldron. I just don't like talking about it."

Lucy's scrunches her eyebrows together and is about to ask him why they are so similar but catches herself. He said that he doesn't like to talk about it and she swore that she wouldn't invade his privacy again. She clamps her mouth shut before giving him a small smile. "I understand. If you ever do want to talk about it though, I am willing to listen without any judgement," she says with a kind voice.

Silence fills the room as Laxus takes in her offer. He is hesitant to accept it and will have to think on it for a while. It's not that he doesn't trust her, it's that he is not sure about letting down the walls he has tried so hard to build up to protect himself.

"Well," Lucy says as she claps her hands together, "let's try to finish as many receipts as we can before I have to start getting ready. More that we get done today the less we have to do tomorrow," she says as she grabs an unmarked receipt. The thick air instantly dissipates as she changes the subject back to less solemn topic.

Laxus is grateful for the change and quickly gets to work so he can forget his dad, Lucy's dad, and the whole conversation. He would much rather spend his time just doing nothing with Lucy anyway.


	5. Chapter 5

**Oh my god everyone. When I saw how many people followed and favorited this story my jaw dropped to the ground. Then I saw that LittlePrincessNana reviewed and my heart nearly stopped. Thank you for everyone's support and love and I hope that you all continue to follow, favorite, and review this story!**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

Later that evening, Lucy is picking out her dress for her dinner date with her father. She picks a light pink dress with floral imprints on the back. It reminds her of the dress that she used to wear when she resided at the Konzern. How ironic.

Carefully making her way down the stairs without assistance, much to her glee, she prepares herself for this dinner. There is no use in denying or questioning it-she's nervous. Who wouldn't be?

The largest part of her really wants the dinner to go well and for her to start making headway in remedying the relationship she has with her dad. She swore to herself that she would give the guy a chance and she intends to see it through. But there is the smaller, more cynical part in her head. It keeps chanting how he hasn't changed and that she is just wasting her time. That all she would gain from this is more heartache.

The smaller part of her casts doubt within herself. What if he hasn't changed? What if he is only here because he needs something from her? How would that make her feel? She would probably hate him. Despise him even.

Before she knows it, she is in front of the restaurant at five till seven. Lucy does one final check to make sure everything is in place. She takes a deep, calming breath as she grasps the handles to the entrance.

Yajima's 8-Island restaurant always has the best food. The fact that it's owned and run by an ex-Fairy Tail member who happened to be close to the previous Master is just a bonus. Yajima was one of the citizens of Magnolia to attend the funeral. He was immense saddened by his old friend's passing. But like everyone else, he moved on with his life. As an ode to his previous guildmate, he created a dish called 'Mocky's Mackerel' in honor of Master Makarov. She's heard that it's a best seller.

The stewardess escorts the blonde girl to a table in the center of the restaurant with two place settings. A waitress comes over to the table as soon as Lucy sits down and asks for her drink order. Lucy orders a strawberry tea with no lemon and the waitress scurries off to fill the order.

At seven o'clock on the dot, the door chimes open. Jude walks in and instantly pinpoints his daughter in the middle of the restaurant. He walks over to the table and sits down in front of Lucy with a small smile.

The waitress reappears to give Lucy her drink and to take Jude's order of ice water.

"Hello Lucy," Jude says as he continues to give her a smile. He truly is pleased that she agreed to have dinner with him.

"Hello dad," Lucy replies with a smile of her own.

The two stare at each other for a moment in silence. Here they are…Now, what do they talk about?

Lucy clears her throat as she opens with small talk. "How long are you in town for?" she asks pleasantly.

"Only for the night. I have some more business to attend to in a town across Fiore tomorrow morning," Jude says frankly.

"Oh…That's too bad. Where are you staying while you're here?" Lucy asks as she takes a sip of her tea.

"It's a small inn named the Jumping Bean Inn."

"I've heard that it's a nice place to stay."

"It is," Jude nods.

Another long winded silence spreads between the two blondes as they wait for the other to say something. Out of uneasiness, Lucy picks up her menu and begins to look over the available selection. "U-um we should pick something to eat before the waitress gets back."

"Of course," Jude says as he picks up his menu and starts reading off the entrees. "Do you recommend anything?" he asks as he looks across the table from above his menu.

"The Mocky's Mackerel is supposed to be excellent. I think I am going to have a Caesar Salad with grilled chicken and rustic croutons," she replies without looking up.

"Then the Mocky's Mackerel it is," Jude says as he lays his menu off to the side. The least he can do is try her suggestion.

The waitress returns with Jude's glass of water and pulls out her notepad. "What can I get ya?" she asks in a chipper voice.

The two blondes give their orders to the bouncy waitress. She hurries off to the kitchen and leaves Lucy and her dad alone.

Jude clears his throat and looks Lucy in the eye as he says, "I'm sorry this is such short notice. I tried to visit you earlier but I got tied up with work."

"I understand," Lucy replies as she bites the inside of her lip. _How many times have I heard that excuse_ , she wonders. No. They are starting over. No more of the past. Lucy takes a deep breath and smiles up at her father. "How is work by the way?

Jude places his elbows on the table and intertwines his fingers as he contemplates her question. "It's going well. The Love and Lucky guild has given me my own office and I am currently up for a promotion," he says proudly.

Lucy gives him a wide grin. "That's great. Congratulations. What type of work are you doing exactly?" she asks as she takes another sip of her tea.

"Mainly economical surpluses of cargo shipped out of Fiore…" Jude begins as he tells his daughter about his business.

Meanwhile, a hungry Laxus is striding through town on his journey to find food. When he left Lucy's earlier he thought he had food at his new house. He bought the place a few days ago and went grocery shopping the same day. Or at least he thought he did. Now he remembers that he planned on going shopping but then wound up having dinner with Lucy at her house and totally forgot to get himself any type of food. Which has created his current predicament—no food, he's starving, and doesn't have the faintest idea of where to eat.

A familiar scent wafts through the air. Strawberries, vanilla, and lilies. He would know that smell anywhere. _Lucy…_

The conversation from earlier rises to the front of his mind. How is her dinner going? He wonders if her old man has pissed her off yet. When Laxus left Lucy's apartment, the idea that her pops is here for some ulterior reason became cemented in his mind. Why you may ask? Because that is exactly what his shitty dad would do.

He knows that she is not stupid. She'll be able to pick up on the signs that her dad is up to something. That doesn't ease his worry though. The thought of her getting hurt from some promise that she made to a bastard that completely neglected her does not sit well with the lightning slayer. The blonde woman can be very naïve when it comes to keeping her promises.

A grumble from Laxus' stomach reminds him that he is on an endeavor to find food. The sudden reminder that Yajima's 8-Island restaurant is in fact a restaurant gives him a brilliant idea. He can go to the restaurant to feed himself as well as keep an eye on Lucy. It'll kill two birds with one stone.

With his heart set on his plan, Laxus makes his way through town.

By the time that he reaches the place and gets seated by the happy stewardess, Lucy is having an in depth conversation with the older blonde man. Luckily for him, neither Lucy nor her father notices him watching them from across the restaurant. He has his side turned toward them and is carefully placed behind a booth. There is no way that they can him but he can see them perfectly. Another benefit is that he can also hear Lucy without any disturbances.

A peppy waitress bounces over to him. Before she has a chance to open her mouth Laxus shoves the menu toward her and tells her to bring one of everything. Her mouth drops open to protest but quickly snaps shut when she sees the blonde man discreetly eyeing the blonde girl across the floor. Without any arguments she scurries away to place the massive order.

About thirty minutes later Lucy and Jude's orders arrive from the kitchen. The mackerel smells delicious and makes Lucy's mouth water. Swallowing her excess spit she stabs the lettuce of her dish and takes small ladylike bites. Jude cuts the fish with practiced elegance and reformation. He asks his daughter how she likes her new home between bites. She replies that she loves it but has been saddened by the loss of her friends. Jude once again gives his sincerest apologies.

Lucy takes the opportunity to tell him about some of the people that she has meet. Natsu's tendency to burn everything, Gray's ice fixtures, Erza's love of strawberry cake, the Strauss' takeovers, the Thunder Legion's admirable devotion to Laxus, Levy's writing, Gajeel's singing, Cana's drinking, Gildart's clumsiness, and Wendy's sweetness.

Laxus listens closely as she explains all of their friend's quirks with passion. A smile spreads across his face when she mentions the Thunder Legion. The waitress brings out some of the appetizers that he ordered.

Jude listens intently to his daughters stories. All of the people she mentions sound interesting, to say the least. Even a little bit crazy. However, one name popped out the most. She said that he had a group of three friends that did anything for him. The same man that was in his daughter's apartment earlier.

As Lucy takes a large bite of her salad Jude clears his throat. "That Laxus fellow seems…interesting," he says with a certain amount of skepticism.

Laxus turns his head to narrow his eyes at the man. He did not like the tone that Jude used.

Lucy picked up on the tone too. She knows it anywhere. That's the tone that he uses when he doesn't like something but he is trying to not be rude. "Yeah, he sure is," she says carefully.

"How did you two meet?" Jude asks as he pretends to cut into his fish even though all of the meat is gone.

Lucy narrows her eyes at him before looking down at her plate. She doesn't know where this is going but she doesn't like it already. "We meet at the guild. Just like I did with everyone else. Why do you ask?"

The waitress brings Laxus' entrees as he eavesdrops onto his guildmate's conversation. Why he has become a topic of interest is a mystery.

"Curiosity," Jude says as he crosses his hand on the table. "You two seem close."

Lucy gives a small pout in thought as to what he meant by that statement. Does he mean that they seem like they are just good friends or that they are closer? "We are. We're friends after all," Lucy answers strongly.

Jude's eyebrows rise in surprise at his daughters words. "Just friends?" he questions. He needs to confirm that his suspicions are unfounded.

Laxus stiffens as his hands stops midway to his mouth with a piece of meat. He turns to look wide eyed at the man across the room. Is Jude implying that he and Lucy are together? That they're in a relationship? Where in the hell did her father get that idea from?

"Yes. Just friends. Why do you ask?" she replies with a clenched jaw. Why does he care so much?

Jude lets out a sigh of relief. He was worried that his daughter was dating that brute. All of the magical energy from earlier, dare he think it, frightened him. That fear grew the second that he saw the young man. But the peak of his fear came from the idea that Lucy is romantically involved with that…that…beast.

What if there is some kind of abuse? She did have a broken leg after all; maybe he is the one who caused it. If there is physical abuse going on there is nothing that Jude can do to stop it. He would probably have to call in the army or some other force to have the man put down. That is what frightens Jude the most. That his daughter could be in harm's way and there would be nothing he can do about it. Hearing that they are not romantically involved puts all of those fears to rest. For the most part. If it were up to him, she would have no associations with Laxus at all. But he cannot overstep his bounds.

"I was concerned about you," he answers with a straight face.

Lucy and Laxus are taken aback by Jude's answer. "What do you mean?" she asks dumbfounded. Is he saying what she thinks he's saying?

Jude looks at his daughter with sincere eyes. "I was worried that you two are dating," he says hesitantly.

Laxus starts to choke on a string of pasta when he hears Jude's words. Swallowing the food he gapes at Jude with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. Why would he think that? Does he think that he's a terrible person or something? He knows that he is not the most approachable guy but that doesn't mean that he's a horrible person.

Lucy sits back in her chair and looks offended at her father's words. He only just met Laxus a couple of hours ago and for no more than fifteen minutes! What could he possibly be worried about?! "Why?" she asks incredulously.

"It doesn't matter Lucy," Jude tries to change the subject as quickly as he can manage.

"Yes! Yes it does! Why are you worried about me dating Laxus?!" Lucy demands.

Jude swallows the hard chunk in his throat as he prepares to explain his feelings. He doesn't want to tell Lucy about his fear because he knows that information will only cause her to become angry. Yet he also wants to tell the truth. "I just don't think that he would be a good partner for you. He seemed very," Jude pauses as he finds the right word, " _rough_. You should be with someone who will treat you with gentleness and dignity. Not a man who grunts and glares at everything. I was afraid of what might happen if he hurt you. How I wouldn't be able to help you or stop him. Then, of course, there is also the clear age difference; he must be at least five years older than you. That is why I was worried. But I'm not now that I know better."

The beer stein Laxus is holding shatters as he grips it too hard. Laxus' shoulders shake as each word of Jude's stings his heart worse than the one before. Is he really that bad? Is that what everyone thinks when they see him? That he is just some Neanderthal and can't take care of a woman? He thinks he can but no woman has ever approached him romantically and even he knows that he is too awkward to approach her so he has no definitive answer. But he is sure that he could take good care of a woman if he had one. Least of all bring any sort of harm to her. A part of him wants to march over there and punch Jude in the face. No, he can't do that. That would only prove that Jude was right.

Dense, tense silence fills the Heartfilia table as Lucy gawks at her father awestruck. Anger rapidly replaces her shock and she has to restrain herself from hitting him. How can he think that?! He doesn't know anything about Laxus?! Who does he think he is coming in here and insulting one of her friends?! And how does he have any right to tell her who she can date?!

"That's rich coming from the man that was going to sell me off to a perverted pig of a business man that only lusted after my body and was fifteen years my senior," she spits in rage. "A man who would probably only regarded me as some kind of toy! A man who probably would have cared more about his dogs than he did me! A man with that has an age difference of more than TWICE the amount between me and Laxus!"

Laxus snaps his head up when he hears Lucy beginning to yell. His lips form into a smirk as he hears her argument. This is the Lucy that he knows; the spitfire that will call anyone out on their bullshit.

Jude's mouth opens and closes as he tries to think of something to say. He never thought that she would get this angry. "Lucy, please," Jude tries to calm his daughter.

Wood scrapes on wood as Lucy shoves her chair back to stand and glare across the table at her father. Rage pours out her body and soul as she continues her rant. "You have NO RIGHT to tell me who you would approve of! Not after what you did to me! Who I date or don't date is none of your business! Even if I wanted to date Laxus I would, regardless of whether or not I have your approval!" Lucy gathers up her crutches as she prepares to leave. She doesn't have to sit here and have her friend insulted to her face.

The smirk on Laxus' face fades into surprise as he hears the last sentence. Jude watches his daughter gather her things as she prepares to march, as much as she can with crutches, out the door.

As she turns to leave she stops and faces her father with fire in her eyes. "One more thing. Laxus is a good man. Regardless of what you might think. Yeah, sure, he has his flaws but so does everybody else. He can be sarcastic, arrogant, unbelievably blunt, and even downright rude sometimes but he is also independent, strong-minded, hardworking, and he cares very deeply for his friends and family. He would never hurt me and he has been nothing but helpful while I had my leg broken. He is my friend and guildmate so I will not let you insult him without trying to defend him. And I could give a rat's ass about his damn age. I would place a lot more emphasis on whether or not he treated me right than some stupid number. That is what is important to me."

With those final words, Lucy turns with her crutches and walks out the door. She makes her way to her apartment. Each step of her crutches hits the ground extra hard from her anger but she can't bring herself to care. She really wants to hit something. And cry. And scream. Anything to relieve this anger.

Laxus and Jude remain seated in their respective spots and gaping at the closed door. Both are rendered speechless from the display of the blonde girl.

Jude swallows the lump in his throat as he rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs. This was not how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to have a nice dinner with his daughter and they were supposed to start bonding. Not fighting. It was not his intentions to make Lucy angry. It never was. He should have known that this was going to happen. Their relationship is too fragile right now for any sort of criticism to be exchanged between the two. All he was trying to do is be open and honest. Apparently that's not what she wants. What does she want then?

Laxus sits in his booth completely awestruck. No one, aside from the Thunder Legion, has ever stuck up for him like that. Everything that her old man said was right. He is rough around the edges and he is older than his fellow blonde. What's more shocking is that despite everything he did to her in the past she still thinks of him as a good man. He always thought of himself as a good person but he has done very little to exemplify that belief. Yet, for some reason, she sees past all of his misdeeds and defends him not only to the guild but to her father.

He knew that she would say that Jude was wrong but he never thought that she would go so far as to list off his good attributes. Each of the positive characteristics she said makes his heart swell with happiness. _The defensive and loyal Fairy Tail celestial wizard who will never turn her back on her friends…_ A smile spreads across Laxus' face as his face relaxes from the thought of the kindness of his guildmate. If only everyone else can look at him the way she does.

The waitress, who has been hiding in the kitchen since the yelling started, comes back out and quietly asks Laxus if he wants his check. Laxus gives her a nod and within moments she is back with the slip of paper before disappearing again.

Laying some jewels on the table, Laxus looks over at Jude. An urge surges through him; one he cannot ignore. Laxus stands up from his booth and walks up behind the confounded blonde man. Jude jumps in his chair as he sees Laxus appear beside him. He looks up at Laxus with wide eyes as he realizes that Laxus overheard his and Lucy's entire conversation.

"I don't give a damn about what you think of me," Laxus says coldly as he glares down at the older blonde man. "But I would never hurt Lucy. Rest assured of that." Without another word, Laxus strides past the awestruck man and leaves the restaurant.

Jude is left completely bewildered, stressed, and anxious about everything that has transpired over the evening. Heaving a heavy sigh, he relaxes in his chair as he calls the waitress over for the check.

Down the street, the door to Lucy's apartment slams closed as she enters the room. She tosses her crutches, none to gently, across the room. Lucy puts her hands on her hips as she tries to find something to relieve this pent up anger. Anything right now would be nice. Eyeing some books on her bookshelves, she unconsciously grasps each one and forceful drops them onto her table as she sorts through her wide collection. Too caught up in her anger and thoughts of how unbelievable her father is, she doesn't hear her door open and a certain blonde dragon slayer walk up behind her.

It's clear to Laxus from how she tosses around her books that she is furious. Even if he hadn't seen the display earlier at the restaurant it is still incredible obvious. The corners of his lips quirk upwards as he remembers how protective she was of him when her dad shared his thoughts. His heart is still fluttering from being defending by her. Straightening his shoulders and crossing his arms he makes his presence known.

"Need something to punch?" a smug voice behind Lucy comments.

Without needing to turn around she knows who that certain deep confident voice belongs to. "What do you want Laxus?" she states in a hard tone. She isn't in the mood to have company right now.

"Just on the way home when I saw you attempting to stalk your way to your apartment," he teases. He isn't going to tell her that he spent most of his evening worried over her and decided to "overlook" her conversation and meeting. "You look pissed," he comments while not saying that he is aware of why she is as such.

Lucy slams a book down with excess force at Laxus' words. "Of course I am! Why shouldn't I be?!" she exclaims.

"Bad date with your dad?" he asks with a shit-eating smirk.

A vein pops in Lucy's forehead as she glares daggers at the blonde male. "I don't want to talk about it," she hisses as she opens a random book with enough force to make the spine slightly stretch and studies the page.

Three seconds later, she slams the book closed and turns back to the patiently waiting Laxus. "Let me tell you what happened," she says in exaggeration.

He has to suppress a deep chuckle. That's just like Lucy. She's a talker. He knew she would spill her guts at some point.

"So I go to dinner, right," Lucy begins. She twirls her hands around as her voice rises and falls throughout her story, "Everything was fine at first. He told me where he's staying and what he's doing for work nowadays. Just peachy. Then he asked…he asked…" Lucy stops as she stretches her jaw in what Laxus figures is anger.

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that he judged me. _He_ judged _me_! After everything he has done to me! After all of the choices that he has made in his life, he thinks that he can criticize my life! Well he's got another thing coming if he thinks that!" she finishes with an unladylike snort as she throws yet another book onto her table.

Laxus quirks an eyebrow at her. "What did he say?" he questions. He really wants to know if Lucy will tell him what happened. Despite him already knowing.

"Just that he thinks my choice in friends is completely wrong. You in particular."

"What about me?"

"That you're…you're…I don't know. He's worried that you would hurt me and that there would be nothing he could do about it. First of all, you wouldn't do that. Second of all, why would he even care? It's my life, I can do what I want with it and hang out with whoever I want," Lucy claims as she crosses her arms over her abundant chest.

Laxus shakes his head and looks at the Celestial mage with disappointment. "He is right though. If I did hurt you there would be nothing he could do. Sounds to me that he was just concerned about you."

Lucy pouts at him as she puts her hand on her hips. "You wouldn't though! I know you wouldn't!" she exclaims as she leans forward to emphasis her feelings. "Besides that's not the point! The point is that he has no right to tell me what to do! Not after everything that he has done!"

"So…you can criticize his choices and opinions but he can't criticize yours? How exactly is that fair?" Laxus points out. In no way, shape, or form is he defending her old man. Not by a long shot. It's just that this whole argument reminds him of the day Lucy called him into to ask for his statements. He voiced his opinions and when she didn't relent under the pressure, he got angrier. Eventually he blew a fuse because she didn't agree with him. He thought she was just being a huge pain in the ass. In the end though, he realized that he was being a huge fucking idiot and that she was only concerned about his welfare. Now she is like him and her dad is like her. How ironic.

Lucy's mouth drops open as she gawks at the audacity of her guildmate. "Who's side are you on exactly?!" she exclaims in disbelief. Surely Laxus wouldn't take her father's side over hers.

Laxus rolls his shoulders in a half shrug. "Just an observation," he replies nonchalantly.

Her mouth drops open as she tries to contemplate a comeback. Anything to pile drive the blonde male's words back into his thick skull to deflate his oversized ego. Nothing comes out though as his observation wiggles itself into the logical part of her mind.

Could Laxus be right? Did she overreact at her father's statement? He did tell her that he was worried about what could happen to her if Laxus did attack her. There were no indications that he disliked Laxus based on anything else. Which means that he really is just worried over her safety. But that's imposs-

That is when it hits her. She thinks that it is impossible for her dad to actually care for her well-being. A part of her is surprised but the other part is indifferent. Now that she thinks about it, it makes sense. Why would she believe that he father was trying to look out for her when he never did in the past? But this isn't the past anymore. They are trying to make a new pathway for their futures. A future where they can be honest with one another without past judgements and expectations.

Threading her fingers through her hair Lucy pulls on the strands in frustration. Slowly tugging on her hair, her fingers slide down her face and throat as she succumbs to the truth. She was wrong to yell at her dad like she did. He was being honest with her and she got upset with him for that. Guilt washes over the blonde woman the more that she dwells on the depressing thoughts.

"I hate you," she mumbles as she crosses her arms over her chest and looks away from her companion.

A knowing grin spreads over Laxus' lips at Lucy's meager insult. "Only when I'm right," he replies smugly.

Lucy tosses him a half-hearted glare before turning around with a huff. "It's getting late and I need to get up early," she attempts to dismiss the older blonde.

Laxus chuckles at Lucy's false foul mood. "Same time tomorrow?" he asks as he walks toward the stairs.

"No, come an hour later. I've got something to do," Lucy grunts as she takes her time walking down the steps.

Laxus helps her down the last few steps and opens the door to leave. Lucy tells him goodnight while Laxus nods his head in farewell.

"Oh Laxus?" she calls as he walks down the street.

"Hmmm?" he looks back over his shoulder at her.

"Thank you," she says with a light blush over her cheeks.

A smirk spreads across Laxus' lips as he turns back toward the road. A single hand rises in the air as he waves goodbye over his shoulder.

Lucy shakes her head at the boldness of her friend. How that man can correct someone and still be right amazes her. Carefully shutting the door behind her, Lucy hops up the stairs to her apartment. She needs a good night sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Lucy walks across town to the Jumping Bean Inn to see her father. Not a moment too soon, she sees Jude carrying a suitcase out of the building. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves she hobbles over to him.

"Dad?" she says hesitantly from behind the blonde man.

Jude turns around and surprise wipes across his features at his daughter's appearance. He was not expecting to see her here; especially not after what she said last night. "Lucy?" he asks.

"Are you leaving?" she inquires.

"Yes," Jude replies in return.

Lucy opens her mouth before closing it. She opens it and closes it again as she tries to find the right words to say. With a puff of her cheeks she decides just to come clean. "Look, dad, I'm sorry about how I acted last night at the restaurant. I know I overreacted. I just…" Lucy pauses before sighing. "I just don't like the idea of someone insulting my friend. But you were just telling me your honest opinion. You have a right to your own thoughts and I shouldn't have blown up in your face for that. So I'm sorry. I want to keep trying to mend our relationship. Would that be okay?" she asks as she wrings her hands together.

Jude sighs through his nose and smiles softly down at his daughter. "Of course. There is nothing that I would like more. I'm on my way to the train station. Would you like to walk with me?"

Lucy gives him a bright smile and a big nod. Jude grips his suitcase handle tighter as the two blondes slowly make their way to the train station.

Along the way they make small talk about the weather and how nice of a place Magnolia is. There are moments where Lucy laughs at some astute observation by her father.

The train whistle blows as it pulls into the train station. Dozens of people file out through the doors at the end of each car. Jude and Lucy carefully avoid the crowds as they head toward the correct platform.

"Well this is my train," Jude says sadly as he turns toward his daughter.

Lucy's smile falls and her shoulders droop in dejection. "Oh…"

"It's alright. We'll see each other again. You're always welcome to come visit me in Acalypha," Jude reassures his daughter.

"Thanks dad, I will," Lucy's smile returns to her bright shining face.

The train blows its whistle announcing that it's time for passengers to start boarding. Jude and Lucy wave goodbye to one another as he starts up the steps onto the train. He takes a seat next to the window and gives his daughter a soft smile.

With one last whistle the train starts to pull out of the station. Lucy watches with a sad smile as he father draws further and further away. Despite their difference she has a feeling that they made a huge step in their relationship.

* * *

The next week passes by peacefully for Fairy Tail's two blondes. After the drama with her father Lucy welcomes her regular drama, also known as…paperwork. They have diminished the stack down to little to nothing and should be finished by the end of the week.

Funnily enough, that is also the day that she is able to take the bandages off and will be able to walk again without any constraints.

Before they know it, the destined Saturday arrives. Lucy has her doctor's appointment in the morning, she and Laxus are going to finish the paperwork in the afternoon, and then go have a celebratory dinner afterwards.

The doctor greets Lucy with a bright smile and welcomes her. At noon, Lucy is walking out of the hospital with boots on _both_ of her feet. She jumps up and down in celebration of her freedom. With big, confident steps she strides toward her apartment.

As expected, Laxus is leaning against the wall next to her apartment building door. She walks up to him while waving her arm above her head and emitting a melodious, harmonic, joyous laugh. "Hey Laxus!" she yells.

"Hey Lucy, you ready?" he asks with a grin.

"Yep! Let's go!" she cheers as she opens the door to her apartment building.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

The day after Lucy gets her cast off, she walks into the guild hall bright and early. It is a great day for the mage. One, because of the splendid weather. Two, because she can walk properly. Three, because she has now donned a new outfit.

She wears a white tube top with a sweetheart neckline, yellow trim, and a blue heart in the center, a matching blue sleeveless jacket, blue arm sleeves with white ends, a short, dark blue skirt, a white belt to hold her keys and whip, and black thigh-high leggings. Oh, how she has missed her skirts. She has pulled her hair into two low ponytails instead of her typical down style.

Fourth, and lastly, because today she is going to pick out a job request that is out of town. She hasn't left Magnolia for the past three months and she is starting to go stir crazy. While the money was nice, Macao's paperwork doesn't cut it in the adventure department.

As usual, the only people present in the guild during the early mornings are herself, Kinana, Macao, and Romeo. Everyone else is usually nursing some kind of hangover or sleeping right now.

Kinana is preparing for the morning rush by setting out plates behind the bar for easy pickup. Lucy walks over to the bar with gentle steps. While she no longer has to wear a cast or bandages, she is still careful with her leg. Not using it for the past three months has taken its toll on the strength and balance that once had. The doctor warned her that she will have to spend some time training her leg back to its original state. This is why she is planning on picking an easy, well paying job that is located somewhere out of town. If she can find one that is…

"Good morning Kinana," Lucy says as she sits down on a bar stool.

The purple haired woman turns around and gives Lucy a small smile. "Good morning Lucy. Can I get you anything?"

"Just my usual if you don't mind."

"Sure, coming right up." Kinana takes out the blender and puts in milk, strawberries, ice, and a dab of half and half. The blade zooms around inside the glass as it chops and blends everything together. Within a minute, Kinana pours the drink into a tall glass for the blonde. "Here you go. One strawberry smoothie," Kinana says happily.

"Thank you so much," Lucy replies as she starts to sip at her straw. Kinana gives her a big nod before returning to her layouts.

"Good morning Lucy," Macao says brightly as he sits down next to her.

Romeo leaps up into the seat on the other side of the blonde and gives her a wide grin. "Mornin' Lucy!"

"Hey! How are the Conbolt boys this morning?" she asks she looks to either of her sides.

"Great! I don't have to go to school today!" Romeo cheers as he throws his hands in the air from happiness.

"Only so you can help me," Macao frowns at his son. "Don't get the idea that you're getting a freebie."

Romeo pouts at his father before looking at Lucy mischievously. "Sure thing dad," Romeo snickers. Lucy giggles behind her hand at how much Romeo acts like Natsu.

Macao opens his mouth the scold the boy when Lucy cuts him off. "So Master, are you happy that the paperwork is done?" she asks in the most innocent voice. Romeo pretends to find something interesting across the guild hall and leaves the bar.

Distracted by the new question Macao completely misses Romeo running off. "Oh yes!" he declares with enthusiasm. "You and Laxus did a fantastic job. I couldn't have do it better myself."

"If I remember correctly, you didn't want to do it," Lucy sweatdrops.

Master looks away and rubs the back of his neck, "No need to talk about that…" Macao turns back to Lucy and looks at her seriously. "There is something else that I need to talk to you about Lucy."

Her eyes widen and she tilts her head in curiosity at the purple haired man. "Sure, what about?" Has she done something wrong? Or maybe it has to do with more paperwork? _Please, oh please, don't let it be more paperwork,_ she prays internally. She has already shown him how she has organized everything and told him how often everything needs to be checked. There should be no reason that he would need her anymore.

"Do you know where Laxus is? It involves him and I would like to speak with both of you together," Master asks.

 _Laxus? Has something happened to him?_ Lucy opens her mouth to tell Master that he is probably at home when the guild doors open. Like an accurately set watch, their topic of conversation walks in right on time.

"He's right there," Lucy points to the Lightning Slayer. Macao gives her a 'no shit' look before calling the younger man over.

With heavy steps, Laxus comes to stand to the side of Lucy and the Master. Lucy gives him a bright good morning and he returns with his neutral grunt. Both barstool occupants miss how Laxus' eyes widen slightly at Lucy's choice of attire. It's…revealing. Compared to what she has normally worn over the past three months, her new outfit is very risqué. Not that he is complaining. As a young, virile male he appreciates all her curvy assets.

"I was just asking Lucy where you were. There's something I need to talk to you about. Both of you," Master adds as an afterthought for Lucy's benefit.

"What is it?" Lucy asks on behalf of her and Laxus.

In the three months that Lucy and Laxus have spent together, she has learned that he prefers to not talk to strangers whenever it is possible. It's not so much that he hates people as it is that he comes off extremely rude. At first Lucy thought the same as everyone else and thought that he has no manners. But after watching the first six interactions he had with strangers she realized that he wasn't being rude, per say. He is being honest. Overly and bluntly honest. He calls things as he sees them and has the tendency to be sarcastic as well. All the while glaring at the poor unfortunate soul. That's just his personality; he is just not a people person. He is well aware of how he comes off to people when he speaks so he tries to keep it to a minimal. The man is the materialization of the saying, "if you don't have anything nice to say then don't say it at all".

That is why Lucy takes pride in the fact that Laxus talks prettily easily with her. Even more so when he jokes, or tries to but then it comes off as an insult, because she knows that he has to be comfortable around a person for him to be able to do that. Which is also why she doesn't let any of his insults get to her, she knows they are mostly unintentional and are meant to tell her something important. Unless he is angry; to which he means every single word. She tries to stay out of that war zone but she is not afraid to defend her beliefs in front of the imposing male.

Due to her ability to talk with almost anyone she decided that she will talk to any strangers on his behalf, should the need arise. Laxus didn't officially thank her with any grand cheers but she knows that he is grateful. He never complains about her taking too long and he always pays attention to what was said. She, in turn, would never leave him out of the conversation; she asks him if he has any questions, introduces him, and asks him about his opinions. It's a pleasant silent agreement they have and one they have become so used to that they just do it without thinking about it.

"It's nothing bad. I just have a request," Macao says as he looks up at Laxus. "As you know there was some…" Master pauses to figure out the right word, " _hesitance_ on letting you back into the guild. I thought that you working with Lucy would remedy those feelings. Which it has…for the most part…"

"But...?" Lucy drawls out.

Laxus narrows his eyes at Macao. Where is he going with this?

"Since you both finished with the paperwork and are now cleared for regular jobs, not everyone is comfortable with you taking a job outside the city. They feel that you would be more easily… _influenced_ ," Master says the word with a hint of sarcasm.

Lucy 'hmphs' at her Master's accusation and is about to defend Laxus when he raises his hand and cuts her off without looking at her. "Which is where my request comes in. For the first few jobs out of the city, I want you, Laxus, to take simple jobs with a partner. And since you and Lucy," Macao gestures with small, sharp quirks of his head and points to the blonde female while acting all innocent, "are already used to working together…"

"You think that it will be good if she goes with me," Laxus finishes with a sigh.

Master gives him a strong nod and grin. The grin drops into a weary smile and he looks at the Lightning Slayer apologetically. "I'm sorry Laxus. I'm just trying to keep the peace. This way I can say that I 'supervised'," Master does the air quotation marks, "you and saw that you made no attempt to prove my decision of letting you back in the guild wrong."

With another heavy sigh, Laxus turns to Lucy with his normal apathetic gaze. "You alright with this?" he asks her.

Lucy gives both men a bright smile. "Sure. As long as we don't do anything too extreme; my leg still needs to learn how to function again," she says with a nervous laugh.

"Great! Now that's settled, you have my permission to go on a job. Please try not to destroy anything," Macao begs the two blondes.

"We don't destroy stuff!" Lucy chastises the Master.

The guild doors open to reveal Wakaba smoking his pipe. Macao dismisses himself to go discuss some guild maters with the other man. In reality he just wants to escape Scary Lucy.

Shaking her head, Lucy sighs. "So, you wanna go on a job today? I was planning on taking one anyway," Lucy asks her "new" partner with a bright smile.

Laxus nods his head and leads the way to the request board. Since he is restricted into taking simple jobs, any S-Class job is instantly out of the question. Which only leaves the regular job requests. Oh well.

He and Lucy carefully look over each job. There are plenty of bounty jobs, jobs involving monsters, and jobs about stopping bandits but very few simple ones. Nothing else pops out to him until Lucy rips one flier off the board and starts reading over it. Her lips part as she reads over each word meticulously.

"How about this one?" she asks as she gives it to him. "It's about some kind of magical ball."

Laxus looks down at the paper with a frown.

"It says that a Count Balsamico is holding a magical ball. There is also something about an escaped convict named Velveno. The Count thinks he is going to crash the party and he wants mages to arrest the guy. It can't be _that_ difficult to catch him, even with you there. Plus it's paying two-hundred thousand jewel each! That's almost enough to pay my rent for three whole months!" Lucy exclaims with stars in her eyes and hope in her voice.

Laxus raises an eyebrow at his "partner's" enthusiasm. Heaving a heavy sigh, he hands the flier back to her. "Alright, if this is what you want. We'll leave in a week," he says with indifference.

Lucy vehemently nods her head as she clutches the paper to her chest.

As Laxus starts to walk toward the bar to grab some breakfast, Lucy stops him. He turns around to see the concerned Celestial mage.

"Wait, I just thought of something," she says as she holds up a hand. "If we are going to go to this high class ball, we're gonna need to work on our dance moves first. Don't cha think?" She knows she needs to. She hasn't danced since before she left the Konzern and she is more than likely a rusty. Not to mention she has a beaten up leg thats needs some serious "leg work". _Ha, get it, leg work. I crack myself up,_ she applauds herself internally.

Laxus' responsive groan rumbles deep in his chest. "Fine. Meet me at my house in an hour," he grumbles before he resumes walking to the bar.

Lucy looks pleased with his answer. Yet she can't help but wonder why they can't just practice here at the guild. _Laxus must not be a good dancer and knows that he will be embarrassed to be seen by everyone_ , Lucy contemplates. That must be the reason!

She claps a balled hand in her palm in determination with a face to match. Come hell or high water, she will show Laxus how to dance! That being said it would be better if they aren't at the guild. Less people mean fewer distractions.

With a wave to Kinana, Master, and Wakaba, she leaves the guild to go home to get ready for her practice. She has a feeling that a tight skirt is _not_ the way to dress for dance practice. Especially if she is going to be teaching Laxus everything she knows.

Lucy is halfway home when she realizes one crucial detail. She has no idea where Laxus lives. Hanging her head in defeat and cursing her idiocy, she makes the embarrassing trek back to the guild to get directions.

* * *

One hour later, Lucy is standing on Laxus' front porch. After she found out where he lived she went home and got changed into a comfortable pair of short shorts, a pink tank top, and let her hair down. The walk to his place made her glad that she left early because by the time that she arrived it was fifty minutes since they made their arrangement.

Laxus' house is found on the edge on town near the forest. It is a medium sized two story house with pale yellow walls and brown roof tiles. A small porch is in front of the house with a door right in the center. Inside of the door is a large hallway that goes through the house and leads to a glass door at the back. A dining room is to the right with a square wooden table in the center and four chairs around it. To the left are the downstairs bathroom and a staircase that leads up to the second floor. In the back of the house, there is the kitchen behind the dining room walls. All of the basic necessities are there but are hardly used thanks to Laxus horrible cooking skills. A wall and a door lead out from the kitchen into the hall to another door and wall that block off the living room. The living room is the most filled room in the house. A sectional couch is positioned along the back and left wall, a lacrima screen sits opposite of the couch, two side tables are on either end of the couch, and a huge movie and music case is situated next to the screen. A wooden deck is attached to the back of the house.

Five minutes later, a bright light zooms through the sky before landing just in front of the steps to the house. The light dissipates to show Laxus with crossed arms and a scowl. "Let's get this over with," he says in annoyed tone as starts to walk around his house. "There's a field in the back. We can practice there."

Lucy follows him to the back. A big grassy area opens up at the back before a line of tress blocks off the edge about fifty away. Laxus shrugs off his coat and drapes it over the railing to the back patio. His purple button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up is no longer partially hidden as he takes his place about ten feet from his house.

Before Lucy starts the lesson, she pulls out a silver Key. "Open Gate of the Harp, Lyra!" she yells as her magic flows through the key.

Lyra pops out from the spirit world with her harp and a wide smile. "What can I play for you today?" she asks kindly.

"Hey Lyra, can you play something we can dance to? More classical if you can manage it," Lucy asks with her hands behind her back.

"It would be my pleasure," Lyra says in a sing song voice. She thumbs a few cords and a beautiful melody begins to play across the field.

"Alright, you ready?" Lucy asks Laxus with barely contained giddiness. This is going to be fun.

Laxus heaves a sigh before stepping forward and grabbing Lucy. He takes her right hand in his left and places his right hand on the lower of her back. Lucy unconsciously puts her left hand on his bicep. Laxus brings their bodies closer as his grip becomes firm but remains loose enough to be able to flow with the music.

Lucy always knew that she is small considered to the man but now it is _incredibly_ obvious. Her face is directly in the middle of his chest and she has to strain her neck to look up at him.

He begins to lead her in a simple box step. Her feet follow his as they make "L" with each step. Soon enough he begins to spin them while continuing the box step formation. Lucy's eyes widen and her jaw slightly drops as she drops her eyes to watch their feet. _No way…_

Lucy looks up at her dancing partner to find him looking away from her to the side. "Laxus…I didn't know you could dance," she says astonished. She would have never pinned him for the dancing type.

Laxus turns his head away even more and "tsks" at her surprise. "It's not exactly something I go around bragging about," he grumbles.

"But…you're amazing. Where in the world did you ever learn to do this?" she asks as Laxus sharply turns. A small fleeting hint of pain flashes through her leg and promptly reminds her that she is doing this in part to retrain her leg.

"Gramps," Laxus answers without looking at her. "He had me take lessons when I was younger. Said it was good for footwork. It was such bullshit," he huffs.

Lucy laughs at his response. Leave it to Laxus to sound grumpy and curse while performing a flawless ballroom dance. "Could you at least look at me? I feel like there's something stuck on my face," Lucy asks as nicely as she can.

A small, faint pink blush creeps up on Laxus' cheeks as he reluctantly turns his head to look down at the petite blonde. She gazes up at him with a soft smile and shining fond eyes.

He speeds up his steps and begins to make smaller circles with their bodies. He twirls Lucy around in carefully synchronized steps without missing a beat. Grass crunches under their steps as the two blondes follow Lyra's soft melody. Lucy's body sways to the music and with Laxus' perfect leading skills they glide around the lawn.

Lucy closes her eyes as she relishes the moment. Despite the occasional sting of pain on her leg, her body feels weightless. The big, warm hands holding her are strong and confident. They make her feel secure and safe. Every so often, his body will graze against hers to remind her how close she is to the handsome, tall, well-endowed man. The thought makes her a little bit self-conscious but it is quickly lost as the calming emotions flow through her fiber of her being. Her mother told her about these kinds of moments but she never imagined that she would ever be a part of one. If there was such a thing as a perfect harmony, this would be it.

Laxus gazes down at the woman in his arms in wonder. Her body is vertically straight like his but relaxed enough to follow without slowing down the dance. Her hips and legs carefully lift to follow his steps and sway back and forth enticingly. Her cleavage jiggles occasionally on the sharper turns. But the most amazing thing is her face.

The spinning causes her flaxen hair to sway and occasionally flow over her pink powdered cheeks. Both of her eyes are closed and her face is completely relaxed with a small graceful smile spread over her lips…She looks so perfectly and serenely happy. As if she is trapped in her own world where nothing is wrong or could go wrong. And he is giving that to her. A surge of a strange sense of pride and happiness crawl up his spine and into his mind at the thought. Even if he wanted to, there is no way that he could turn away from the image. The longer he stares at her, the more that the picture is ingrained into his memory.

So caught up in their blissful moment, neither blonde witnesses the newcomer in the field. In a split second, Lucy is ripped from Laxus' arms and is being held by the other man.

More out of instinct than actual thought, Lucy lifts her foot and implants it in the new man's chest. "Lucy Kick!"

Lyra's playing comes to an abrupt halt as she watches the man go flying across the yard. He lands with a thud on the soft grass before sitting up with a groan.

Laxus scowls at the man for disrupting his and Lucy's dance. Lucy clenches her fist and a tick forms on her brow. "Loke! What do you think you are doing?!" she demands of the leader of the zodiacs.

Orange bangs lift to show green tinted glasses. Slowly picking himself up, he dusts off his pristine black suit and straightens his tie. "I heard that you were in need of a dancing partner and I felt that I should be the gentleman to sweep you off the dancefloor," Loke says elegantly. He reaches out for her hand as he kneels at Lucy's feet.

Lucy deadpans and sweatdrops at Loke's assumption. "Not a chance," she grumbles.

Loke's face goes into exaggerated shock before turning away and exclaiming dramatically with his hand over his heart, "My beloved princess has no need of me! Oh, the cruel, cruel world!"

Both of Lucy's shoulders slump as her eyebrow twitches in irritation. "Do you even know _how_ to dance?" she asks in an annoyed tone.

"He is aware of a few basic techniques," a sophisticated voice answers Lucy.

Lucy, Loke, and Laxus turn to see another spirit to their sides. "Capricorn?" Lucy asks with a whiff of surprise. The goat spirit stands at the side with his arms behind back and dressed in a very well-kept butler uniform.

"I know more than the basics," Loke retorts back at the goat spirit.

"Hardly. If anyone should escort Lady Lucy in a dance then it should be I," Capricorn declares in his monotone voice while extending his hand to Lucy.

"As the leader of the zodiacs, it would only be appropriate if I was to lead her on the dancefloor," Loke tries garnering Lucy's attentions again.

"Guys, Laxus and I are practicing because we are going on a job and we are the ones who are going to be there. So _we_ need to practice with _each other_. If you two want to dance so badly then find other partners," Lucy says matter-of-factly.

A bright light emits from beside Capricorn before fading to reveal a familiar pink haired spirit. Virgo shows up with her normal neutral face but instead of her regular maid uniform she is wearing a black ballgown with white frills on the sleeves and hems. A line of white frills also extend from her shoulders and down to about her knees to create a vague apron-like appearance. If it was up to Lucy, she would say that Virgo is wearing a ballgown version of a maid's uniform.

Lucy and Laxus' eyes go wide when they see the new visitor. "Virgo?" Lucy asks in shock.

"Did Princess ask for a partner?" Virgo asks with a neat bow.

Lucy mouth opens as she gawks at her spirit. "Uh, um…"

Capricorn, seeing his opening, offers his hand to the maid. "May I, my lady?"

Virgo takes his hand with a small nod of her head. Capricorn pulls her tightly against his body as he places his hands on her small frame. Capricorn calls out to Lyra to play something with an upbeat tempo. Pulling out of her stupor, Lyra begins to playing a faster pace song than before. Capricorn and Virgo turn their hands sharply upwards before stepping away to the side in a perfect tango. The height difference between the two is rather substantial but doesn't seem to impede their footing.

Their feet intertwine together without touching as they slide on the grass. Virgo's legs and hips turn in rapid succession while her upper body remains tight and frontward. Capricorn points his toes as he steps in between Virgo's feet and twirls her around a tight circle. Without losing any eye contact, he effortlessly picks her up with one of her legs locked around his hip to drag her across the "dancefloor". Capricorn does an incredibly low hanging dip before yanking Virgo back up and twirling her around without tripping over their entangled feet. It is like watching two professionals dance.

Lucy and Laxus watch the pair in awe while Loke pouts.

"Is it just me or are they too good at that?" Lucy asks no one in particular.

"Well he is the butler and she is the maid," Laxus answers absentmindedly. He's good but he's not _that_ good.

Lucy tilts her head at the dancing duo at Laxus' observation. A small giggle twists her lips into a smile when she realizes that he is right.

Another bright light to the left of Loke quickly pulls the blondes' attention away from Capricorn and Virgo.

"Aries?" Lucy asks in surprise again. If she keeps this up she will name off all of her spirits.

"I'm sorry…" she apologizes with her hands in front of her body.

No to be outdone by the goat, Loke takes Aries' hand and spins her into his body. "May I have this dance?" he asks with a voice as smooth as silk.

Aries blushes a deep red before apologizing once again. Taking that as yes, Loke begins to perform a waltz with the ram. Wide sweeping motions are made between the pair as Loke leads Aries in a beautifully graceful dance.

Lucy sighs at the two dancing duos in front of her. She looks up at her partner and finds him with a deep set frown across his face. _He's probably not happy about us being interrupted_ , she thinks guiltily. "Well it can't get any worse," she says with a wry smile.

Six more bright spheres of light pop up in front of the blondes. Seconds later, Aquarius, Scorpio, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, and Sagittarius all stand before them.

Lucy's eyes go wide as saucers while her jaw drops to the ground. Laxus' eyebrows rise as he stares dumbfounded at the new arrivals.

"How dare you little girl! Holding a dance party and not inviting me!" Aquarius hisses lowly at Lucy as she gets in her shocked face.

Lucy holds up her hands in self defense as she starts swearing profusely. "I-I didn't…" she stutters her attempt to explain herself.

"Forget it baby! Let's get our dancing on!" Scorpio declares with his signature rocker hand gesture.

Aquarius' mood does a complete one hundred eighty degree turn as she faces her beloved boyfriend. "Of course my sweet Scorpio," she gushes.

As her and Scorpio walk into the center of the grass Aquarius glances over her shoulder and tosses Lucy a snide comment. "Maybe if you practice you can hope to be as great of a dancer as me."

A tick forms on Lucy's forehead. "How can you dance?! You don't even have legs!" she exclaims in her sudden anger.

"What was that?" Aquarius asks with a death glare at her key owner.

The sweat makes a devastating comeback as Lucy curls up in a ball of fear in the eyes of her strongest spirit. "No-nothing," she mumbles.

Satisfied with her master's compliance, Aquarius gets back to more important matters. Her and Scorpio's date.

The other spirits move to the field and pick partners. Gemini morphs into Lucy and partners up with Taurus who has hearts in his eyes and a bleeding nose. Cancer and Sagittarius pair up and create the "odd" couple on the field. But seem oddly in synch with one another.

Lucy uncurls herself and looks at her spirits in exaggeration. Heaving a heavy sigh, she resides herself to how the day has been ruined. A grunt to her right reminds her that Laxus is still present.

"Laxus, I'm sorry about them. They don't know how to restrain themselves sometimes," Lucy apologizes.

"Do you still want to practice?" he asks quietly. As much as he doesn't want to be seen by anyone, he knows that he has to be able to dance in public if he is going to a ball.

Lucy's eyebrows rise in surprise before her face softens into a gracious smile. "Sure," she says with a nod.

They take their places near the house and resumed their previous routine. The peacefulness returns with each step that they take and they begin to lose themselves in the dance. If it isn't for the overzealous competition between Loke and Capricorn, which soon involved a temperamental Aquarius, Lucy would have forgotten that she and Laxus have company.

Several hours later, Lucy and Laxus have trained all can for the day and the Celestial Spirits leave to return to the Celestial Spirit World. Now left alone with the blonde man, Lucy starts making arrangements for a renovator to fix Laxus' house.

* * *

Seven days later, Laxus and Lucy arrive at the Balsamico estate. They practiced their dancing every day until they had to leave Magnolia. Laxus always insisted that they practice near his house and Lucy couldn't find a reason to argue with him. It also gave her the opportunity to make sure that the renovator was repairing his house properly. Why the mermaid spirit had to demand that they have an underwater dancing contest and flood the entire area, including his house, is beyond her. Poor Lucy cried dollar signs as the renovator told her how much it will cost.

The Balsamico estate is a large palace that looks like it has tremendous plant like structures growing out of it. It's definitely weird.

Lucy knocks on the large wooden doors. A beautiful woman in a lovely pink dress answers the door with a small smile.

"Um, you're a little early," the woman says surprised to see the two blondes.

"We are Lucy Heartfilia," Lucy points to her partner, "and Laxus Dreyar of Fairy Tail. We're here on behalf of the job request from Count Balsamico."

"Hello my name is Aceto and my father is Count Balsamico," she says happily. "Since you are here to see my father, I will take you right to him. Please follow me," she says as she steps inside to let them pass.

Moments later, Lucy and Laxus are sitting on a couch facing Aceto holding a small older man in her lap. The man is so small that Lucy thinks that he is probably smaller than Master Makarov. And has a _much_ , _much_ more sour looking face.

"Welcome and thank you for taking my request. I am indeed Count Balsamico. Let me get straight to the matter. I want you to know that there is more to the story than what was written on the flier," the Count says flatly.

"Like what?" Lucy asks in a concerned tone as she lifts her finger to the front of her lips in worry. Hopefully it's nothing too bad.

"I am exceedingly worried for the well-being of my precious daughter who means more than the world to me," Count Balsamico explains. "The ball being held this evening is very special for it is tonight that it is her future husband is to be chosen."

"Yeah, that is a pretty major deal," Lucy agrees.

"Once every seven years, our family brings out an extremely precious ring. A ring that has been passed down the Balsamico line for generations!"

"And you're afraid that Velveno is going to try to come here and steal it from you," Lucy says not as a question but a statement.

"Hmmm, I'm absolutely certain of it. He is very skilled in Transformation magic and Magical Drain. Magical Drain allows him to temporarily copy the type of magic of anyone that he comes in contact with. He's very dangerous indeed. I entrust full safety of the ring to you! Work together and make sure that he fails to snatch it! And once more I want you to capture him and put him behind bars, where he rightfully belongs!" the little man demands.

"Sure, we'll catch him for ya," Lucy says with fierce determination. Switching personalities, she gives her host a wry smile as she asks her next question. "Just one more thing…the flier mentioned a certain reward if we were to catch him for you."

"That's correct. Four-hundred thousand jewel in cash for his capture," Count Balsamico confirms.

Lucy smiles bright as she imagines rolling in a pile of jewels. "Oh yeah! Cash is king, let's do this!" she says to no one in particular.

Later that evening, Lucy is getting ready in a prepared cylindrical room. The dress she has picked to wear is a floor length reddish-purple gown with a plunging neckline and high leg slit. Cancer is straightening her hair and pulls a section of it up and to the side in a reddish-purple ribbon. A pair of black heels finishes off the look.

She thanks Cancer for his hard work before sending him back to the spirit world. Stepping outside she sees a scowling Laxus stepping out from the adjacent room adjusting his tie. He is dressed in a fitted black suit with a reddish-purple tie that matches her dress. The spikes in his hair are slightly more slicked back so they only poke out in the back. All in all, he looks very handsome. Even with the frown on his face.

Lucy gives him a bright smile as she steps up and bats his hands away. Taking the slender fabric between her fingers, she tightens the knot and straightens the tie. She tucks it behind his coat and takes a step back to admire her work.

"Perfect," she says with an affirmative nod. Lucy puts her hand on her hip and poses for her partner. "Do I look fabulous or what?" she asks him with vain confidence.

Laxus gives her a look over before shrugging. "I guess so," he says with complete indifference. Truthfully, he thinks that she does look very nice.

Lucy's ego cracks under the weight of Laxus' not-what-she-was-looking-for-at-all compliment. "Thanks a lot!" she yells at him with her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"Let's go. The party has already started," an unfazed Laxus states passively. Turning his back on the gawking Celestial mage, Laxus leads the way into the grand hall.

Lucy huffs in annoyance as she stomps after the Lightning Slayer. The nerve of her partner! The least the guy could have done is compliment her on her stunning beauty. It's not that difficult!

Laxus is waiting for Lucy to catch up to him as he nears the entrance to the ballroom. Lucy composes herself and does a quick once over before stepping foot into the hall.

The two blondes walk down a long red carpet as they steadily enter the center of the room. A huge clock is perched on the second floor staircase at the other end of the room. Floating dance floors hang in the air with couples dancing on some of them while other floors wait to be used. Several pairs are dancing on the regular floor. Everyone except the two blondes are wearing some sort of mask so it hard to identify anyone in particular.

Lucy and Laxus try to find anyone who appears suspicious but no one stands out too much.

"I'm going to check around the crowd to see if I see anyone," Laxus says. He walks away before Lucy can say one word against his plan.

Lucy sweatdrops as she watches the blonde man's wide, muscled back cut through the crowd. _If he really didn't want to dance then he could have just said so…_ she thinks to herself.

"Excuse me, may I have this dance?" a handsome man with slicked back brown hair asks Lucy as he holds out his hand.

"Yeah, sure!" Lucy says excitedly. _Woah! Who would have thought I would wind up dancing with a guy like him?!_

The two takes their places on a moving dance floor and gently dance to the music.

Lucy smiles at her partner but she can't help but feel a sense of incompleteness in the man's arms. The man is handsome, no doubt, but he doesn't hold her like she is used to being held. He doesn't hold her how Laxus holds her. And she misses it. She misses it a lot.

It makes her wonder what exactly makes Laxus dancing with her different than anyone else. She could say that it is the size of his hands, Laxus' hands are much bigger than the average man's after all, or the height difference but she knows that's not it. It's just how she feels around him. How she feels that she can relax and be herself without being judged. How he knows so much about her. How they're such good friends now.

This new man doesn't know her. She has to be stiff and formal around him because that's the job. Around Laxus…she can be goofy and absurd and still know that he will want to be around her. She is comfortable with him and a deep part of her misses the closeness she can feel with someone just by being comfortable with them.

Thinking of her partner, Lucy subtlety glances around for Laxus. It doesn't take her long to pinpoint him near the buffet table. The big, blonde man sticks out like a sore thumb. She notes that he is watching each guest with intense concentration as he remains in his spot with his arms crossed. Several ladies, all of different appearances, approach him and ask him to dance but only get rejected by his silence. A man with black hair accidently bumps into Laxus and earns a death glare from the Lightning Slayer.

Lucy chuckles to herself before turning back to her dancing partner. Throughout the rest of the dance, she looks at the other dancers for any indication of Velveno.

* * *

At fifteen minutes till midnight, Count Balsamico arrives on the second story balcony with Aceto at his side. She is dressed in beautiful white dress with flower décor and is absolutely stunning. All of the men, save Laxus, look onward at the maiden with mouths agape and red blushes crossing their cheeks.

Aceto and the Count make their way down the steps slowly. She has a gently smile spreads over her lips and seems to be producing sparkles.

"It would appear that all of the men here are intimidated by my daughter's beauty," Count Balsamico chuckles.

Aceto strolls over to a confused Lucy and asks for her hand in the first dance. Lucy sweatdrops in surprise before hesitantly taking the offer. _Why in the world would she ask me to dance?!_ she wonders as they ride the dance floor upwards.

Both ladies begin to twirl as Lucy leads Aceto. Thank god she remembers how Laxus did it from earlier in the week. Meanwhile, Laxus watches on in curiosity at the weird turn of events.

At the stroke of midnight, the huge clock at the front of the hall begins to chime.

"The fateful hour is upon us," Count Balsamico says loud enough for everyone to hear.

"What happens at midnight?" Lucy questions the Count's daughter.

"The ring is presented," Aceto says with a strange showing of sadness. "The bells within that giant old clock only toll on one night every seven years. When the doors open, out comes the ring." The floor gradually drops to the floor and both women step off.

"Whoever takes the ring is thereby granted the right to propose to my beautiful daughter. It is a Balsamico family tradition!" the Count exclaims proudly. "Here, here! Anyone who desires my daughter's hand in marriage must first possess the ring!"

All of the men, except for Laxus once again, charge forward in an attempt to nab the ring for themselves.

The black haired man that accidently bumped into Laxus earlier jumps into the air. "Lightning Dragon Roar!" he yells as a stream of yellow lightning bursts forward from his mouth. All of the other men are swept away by the attack.

The man changes his form into the face both blondes have been looking for the entire evening. Velveno…

Velveno grabs the ring from its box before landing on a floating floor. "Haha! Now the Balsamico's precious ring is in the hands on the one and only Velveno!" he yells.

"He did it…" Aceto whispers.

"Give it back this instant you thief!" Count Balsamico demands in a fluster.

Suddenly, Laxus is behind the man with the afro and sends a kick directly into the middle of his back. Velveno goes flying across the floor before flipping onto his feet. He never releases the ring from his hold as he prepares himself for the battle.

Laxus steps into position and cracks his knuckles. "How about we make this easy and you give up right now?" Laxus asks with a smirk.

"A'int happenin' man! Not until I do what I came here to do!" Velveno says adamantly.

"Fine then, have it your way." Laxus charges lightning to his fist. "Lightning Dragon Iron Fist!" he yells as he makes a jab at Velveno.

Velveno creates lightning in his fist as well and yells, "Lightning Dragon Iron Fist!" while mimicking Laxus' movements perfectly.

Both lightning attacks crash into one another before exploding in a burst of light and sparks. The blonde man and the man with the afro land on opposite sides of the room unscathed. Laxus glares coldly at his opponent while Velveno chuckles at the mood of the room.

The staring contest continues for both men before Laxus speaks to Lucy without looking away from Velveno.

"Lucy, keep Aceto back. Don't let this guy anywhere near her," Laxus warns his comrade.

Lucy gives him a nod in confirmation. She then drops into a defensive stance as she turns to face Velveno with determination. "You are not getting to Aceto. You have to go through us first," Lucy claims in a fierce voice.

Velveno stands up straight at Lucy's words. "That's too bad 'cause I'm not here to fight you guys. That's actually the last thing I want to do tonight," he halts the Fairy Tail mages.

A look of confusion crosses Laxus and Lucy's faces and their defensive positions drop slightly. "What?" they say in unison.

"Aceto, I got something big to ask ya," Velveno says seriously as he holds up the ring for everyone to see.

Everyone gasps at the turn of events but no one is more surprised than Aceto, Lucy, and Laxus. Both of the Fairy Tail mages completely drop their stances and stand up straight with shock shrouding their features.

"No way," Lucy gasps in disbelief as a blush spreads over her cheeks. Laxus' eyes blink heavily as he tries to grasp the situation. This guy went through all of this trouble just to propose?

"We've known each other since we were both just little kids," Velveno continues, "and this entire time I have been _crazy_ in love with you."

"You were the low-born child of one of my servants and I still permitted you to play with my daughter! Have you forgotten your place?!" Count Balsamico interjects in anger.

Velveno closes his eyes calmly. "Every time I came to see Aceto you'd remind me," he replies as his voice begins to rise. "You'd say that we were from two different worlds that shouldn't mix and then you would kick me back out into the street again! 'Cause trash like me doesn't belong in your palace!"

Aceto gasps at the revelation. "Daddy! You never told me that he tried to visit!"

"And you don't need to hear about any of this now!" the Count yells while fuming.

"The sad thing is that I started to believe him and I finally decided that I was going to give up on you Aceto," the man with the afro says as he lowers his eyes to the ground. "Kinda gave up on myself too. I drifted around for a while and eventually turned to a life of crime. Got arrested. Then I wound up in jail…And while I was locked up, I had all the time in the world to sit around and think about the thing that I regretted most in my life. How I never got the chance to tell you how I felt! So I took a risk to break out and come to the ball!" he declares.

Everyone watches in awe as Velveno strides past Laxus. Reaching two arm's length to the maiden, Velveno gets down on one knee and puts his hand on his heart.

"Miss Aceto," he starts with a voice filled with loved, "please tell me that you will be my wife." He holds the ring up to the woman he loves as she stares down in shock at him.

Lucy squeaks as she brings her hands up to cover her mouth while Laxus observes with his usual frown. Everyone holds their breath as they wait for Aceto's answer.

"Can't you see this is a waste of time?! Arrest him now!" Count Balsamico demands in a fluster as he comes in between his daughter and the convict.

Neither Lucy nor Laxus pay him any attention and just watch as Aceto approaches Velveno. "I will," she beams at her future husband.

Velveno's and everyone else's for that matter, eyes go wide and jaws drop in shock at her response. Lucy and Laxus in particular have an extremely hard time believing what in the hell just happened.

"Wow, are you serious?!" Velveno question in a half disbelieving and half overjoyed tone as sparkles splay from around his eyes.

"Of course! I've been waiting my whole life for the day you come back," she reassures him.

"You were? It's like my wildest dream come true! I can hardly believe it!" he chokes out overjoyed.

"There's just one thing," Aceto pauses. "Turn yourself in. You still need to pay for your crime," she finishes with a smile.

"You're right," Velveno says quietly after a few moments.

Aceto holds out her left hand. Velveno gently takes her hand and places the ring onto her ringer finger. The crowd bursts out into cheers and applause of celebrations for the new couple.

Several minutes later, the Royal Guards place handcuffs on Velveno and begin to haul him out. Before he leaves though, Aceto promises to wait for him while Velveno promises to come back to her.

The new development brings a smile to Lucy and Laxus' faces as they look onwards at the couple. Despite knowing that Velveno will have to go back to jail, Aceto is still willing to wait for him. It is such a sweet and romantic gesture. They must really be in love. Some loves can never be broken; not be distance, heartache, or their pasts. It truly is wonderful.

Although, since they didn't actually keep the guy away from the ball she can only assume that the jewels for the job are guaranteed to be gone…

After the guards take Velveno away and Aceto begins to mingle with her guests, Lucy is standing next to a cross armed Laxus. A sigh from the Celestial Spirit mage makes Laxus turn toward her with a questioning look.

"It's nothing. I'm just not happy about losing the reward money. Even though it was for a good cause," she sighs again.

"We just need to take another job. Can't do anything else," Laxus states as he turns back to face the crowd.

Lucy raises an eyebrow and frowns at him. A different, softer melody begins to play. It reminds Lucy of all of the practices that she had with Laxus over the past week. She looks up at the tall male with gentle eyes.

"You wanna dance? Might as well make all of the practice worth something," she asks with a small smile.

Laxus gazes down at the petite woman for a minute in contemplation. There was a reason that he didn't dance all night. He doesn't want anyone to see him dancing. It's too embarrassing. But dancing with Lucy is different. It's not embarrassing at all. He doesn't know if it's because they have practiced so much or because they are good friends. Either way, he doesn't really have an excuse to turn her down.

Without a sound, Laxus holds out his hand to Lucy. She takes it and follows him to the dance floor. She asks if he wants his own floating dance floor but he quickly declines, much to her confusion and the relief of his stomach.

Laxus lifts her right hand with his left while planting his right hand on her waist. Just like their time together in his back yard, they twirl around at the beautiful music. The sense of completeness drifts over Lucy's being as she feels his strong arms enclose around her. Lucy closes her eyes as she gets lost in the tranquility that only dancing with Laxus can create. The tranquility of being with someone who you trust and care for and trusts and cares for you in return.

The rest of the night, the two blondes dance, drink, and eat to their hearts' content. Their worries of money and going home empty handed are reserved for tomorrow as they just enjoy the moment and the company of a good friend.


	7. Chapter 7

**I am so sorry that this is so late! Gotta put life first and all that jazz.**

 **I hope you like this chapter and remember to review, favorite and/or follow! Have a great day!**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

"It should be around here somewhere," Lucy says with uncertainty as she looks between the map and the surrounding trees. Her and Laxus are walking on a dirt path in the middle of a large forest on the border of Fiore looking for a small cabin that their client is letting them stay in for the duration of their job. He gave them a map of where it is located but they haven't had any luck in finding it yet.

Both blondes are currently on their third job. After the magical ball failure they returned to the guild to find another job. Macao wasn't exactly happy with them for letting the bandit propose to the client's daughter but Lucy and Laxus do not regret their decision on the matter.

They found a second job that requested someone with lightning magic. It asked for the individual to power a festival that was being held in a town with little to no electricity for a week. They took the first train out to the small town and immediately got to work. By the end of the job the people in the town were immensely grateful and they walked away pretty well paid.

On another good note, Lucy has been training her leg every day and she has made great progress in restoring strength to the limb. Another few weeks of training and she should be back to normal.

Unfortunately for Lucy, she was still ten-thousand jewel short of her rent and needed some food money to boot. Although she mainly just said that as an excuse to get out of Magnolia again.

That is what brings them to their current predicament. They selected a job that said it needed some mages to investigate odd circumstances in the nearby secluded forest.

Recently, a group of famers have been excavating the forestland in the attempt to expand their farms so they can feed their families and the ever growing population. However, sudden bursts of lightning shoot out randomly while the workers are plowing or cutting down trees and have scared them off. The mayor put in a request for someone to investigate why such a weird phenomenon is happening and to put a stop to it.

The tiny town of Tonnerre resides on the border of Fiore directly next to thick, lush woodland. It is predominately a farming town that has a rich history in farming a multitude of fruits and vegetables. The citizens are kind and welcoming and hold the forest and the animals in high regard. So high that both Fairy Tail mages were instructed to bring no harm to any animals or trees if possible whilst on their job. Lucy swore that they would be as discreet as possible. The mayor, satisfied with her answer, gave her and Laxus a map to an abandoned cabin in the forest and sent them on their way.

"Can't see anything with all of these damn trees in the way," Laxus grumbles to himself.

"There it is!" Lucy exclaims as she sees the faint image of a cabin through the trees.

Sure enough, thirty feet away sits a small cabin that is circled by trees on all sides. The cabin is one story tall and is made out of dark mahogany. The roof has wooden tiles along the top until it hits a red brick chimney at the rear of the building. A simple wooden door is in the center of the front wall and two square windows with curtains drawn on the inside line the front and side walls. A small porch made out of mahogany juts out in front of the house and has matching railing running around the edge. A comfortable wooden swing and two wooden chairs are on the right side of the porch to allow for a fabulous view of the trees.

Lucy thinks about how cute it looks and smiles up at the exterior. Laxus opens the door to the cabin and walks into the living room. Lucy is not far behind him as she follows him into the house.

The inside of the cabin has four rooms. In the center is the living room with a fireplace on the far end, a comfy sofa and two matching armchairs situated in front of the fireplace with a mahogany coffee table between them, an end table is on the end of the couch closet to the door and is decorated with a small lamp, and a deep red rug is laid out under all of the furniture. To the left are the kitchen and a small bathroom. The kitchen has a sink, refrigerator, oven, granite countertops, and matching mahogany cabinets and drawers. To the right are two doors that lead to a master bedroom and a smaller bedroom that looks to be for a guest. The master bedroom has a king sized bed with two side tables, a dresser, and an dressing table with an oval mirror made out of mahogany. A sliding door on the left wall hides a closet while the door next to it leads to the master bathroom. The guest bedroom is dressed the same way as the master bedroom but with only one side table and a dresser.

Lucy looks around the living room in awe. From the outside it looks kinda plain but the inside is beautiful and homely. She can total see herself living out here and working on her novel in the perfect serene seclusion of the quiet forest.

"Lucy? Lucy?" Laxus' voice rises as he tries to break Lucy out of her house-induced trance.

"Huh—What? What?" Lucy asks frantically as if she suddenly lands back on Earthland.

"I want this bedroom," Laxus nods his head toward the master bedroom. "You got a problem with that?"

"Oh no!" Lucy shakes her head. "Go ahead, you need the bigger bed anyway."

Laxus grunts in what Lucy deduces as an accepting thankfulness and walks into his bedroom to put his bag down. Lucy does the same thing with the other room before flopping onto the bed in relief. They have been walking for hours and her feet are killing her.

"Hey Laxus! You hungry?!" she yells through her open bedroom door.

Not two minutes later, Laxus walks into her room and leans against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. "You bring any food?" he asks with a raised eyebrow. He packed a few things in his bag but not enough to warrant a dinner.

Lucy rolls her eyes up toward the ceiling in thought. Crap, she didn't think about that; maybe she should have before she opened her mouth. They can get food by either going to town or hunting in the forest but since they were asked not to harm the animals, they should go to town. Her feet pulse in agony at the mere thought of any more walking.

"How about I make you a deal," Lucy says as she tilts her head up so she can see the blonde man. "If you go get the ingredients, I'll cook the food."

Laxus scowls at Lucy's very obvious attempt to not move. Heaving a heavy sigh, he nods his head before looking at the woman with his neutral gaze. "What should I get?" he asks.

Lucy's eyebrows crease in thought as she contemplates over what she can cook. "Get some meats, vegetables, potatoes, bread, and cheese," she says as she thinks out loud. "Any kind will be good. I'll figure out what to make with the things you get. Make sure that you get enough to last for the week," she adds as an afterthought.

Laxus pushes off of the doorframe with a grunt and turns toward the front door. "Be back in a while," he calls over his shoulder.

Lucy drops her head back onto the bed just in time to hear the door click shut and a boom of thunder shortly afterwards. Sighing in content, she relaxes against her bed. She knows that she is going to have to get up in a little while so she should try to rest as much as she can right now.

Two hours later, another resounding boom shakes the house and Lucy takes that as her cue to get out of her bed. She walks into the living room in time to see Laxus placing the six bags of food onto the kitchen countertops.

"Find everything?" she asks as she comes up behind him.

"Yeah. Got some drinks too," he replies without looking at her.

Lucy simply nods her thanks and helps Laxus put almost everything away. True to what she said earlier, he got an assortment of meats, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, bread, and cheese that she can make a variety of dishes with over the next week. She decides that they can have hamburgers tonight so she leaves out the ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and buns.

Once everything that needs to be stored is put away, Laxus leaves the kitchen to go relax in the living room until dinner is ready. He pulls out his Sound Pods, throws his coat on one of the recliners, and lies down on the couch with his hands behind his head.

An hour later, Lucy brings two plates of food out to the coffee table. Both blondes eat in companionable silence as they enjoy their dinner.

* * *

The next day, Lucy and Laxus head to the edge of Tonnerre where the farmers have seen the bursts of electricity. They think that if they can see what exactly is happening they can get a better idea of what is going on.

Near the border of the town they see multiple farms near a line of uprooted pine trees and stumps. Several farmers are tending to their crops or livestock but one man notices them approaching and walks up to greet them.

"Hey there, can I help you?" the farmer asks warmly. He is an average looking middle-aged man with long black hair that is swept back to the base of his neck. The hair matches a scruffy beard that extends to his collarbones. He wears worn out overalls with a long sleeved white shirt underneath that has the sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

Lucy smiles up at the man before replying, "We are the mages from Fairy Tail that the mayor requested. My name's Lucy and this is Laxus," she says as she points to the man beside her. "The mayor said that lightning appears around here and he asked us to put a stop to it. We're looking for anyone who can tell us anything."

"Oh! You're the mages!" the famer exclaims in surprise. "Oh! I am so glad you're here! The name's Murphy. Me and the other farmers can't get anything done nowadays with all of that electricity flying around everywhere."

"You've seen the lightning?" Lucy asks as she cocks her head to the side.

"Yep, sure have." Murphy points over to the line of trees where some stumps, bushes, and holes lie in the ground twenty feet away from the fence around the edge of his land, "Saw it right over there. Wasn't just over there either, it happened all along the trees to the other farmers too. It scared us so much that we haven't gone back since."

"How large of a blast was it?" Lucy asks as she crosses her arms under her well-endowed chest.

The farmer strokes his chin in thought. "It's too hard to say. Seeing as how bright and all it was. But I would say that it was probably no wider than those trees."

"And it just happens randomly?"

"Yep, just came outta nowhere. When I told the misses she that I was crazy but she doesn't think that way anymore."

"Alright then, do you mind if we look around?" Lucy asks politely.

Murphy gestures to line of trees with his hand and gives a big nod. "Be my guests. Don't get shocked though. If either one of you need anything make sure you come ask."

Lucy gives him a reassuring smile and nod. She and Laxus walk over to where the farmer pointed to begin their inspection. They start on the land near the farmer's house before moving down the line of trees to look at every location. Nothing seems out of the ordinary aside from the messiness that comes with cutting down trees and renovating land.

The only odd things are small black scorch marks located on the ground here and there. Lucy looks around the immediate area of each mark but finds nothing that would give her a clue as to what or who could have possibly caused the black streak in the earth.

After spending two hours carefully investigating the ground both outside and inside the immediate vicinity of the trees, Lucy and Laxus have come to an impasse.

Nothing. That is what they have found. Absolutely nothing and they have no leads to further their search either.

"Maybe we're missing something," Lucy sighs in exasperation.

"No, we've already looked at everything three times. If there was something to find, we would have found it already," Laxus states matter-of-factly.

"Then what do we do?" she asks more to herself. "It would be a lot simpler if we could just see-" she stops in her train of thought as an idea pops into her head.

Laxus hums at her in question when she stops talking.

As part of her brilliant idea, Lucy walks up to the fence and calls Murphy over. The farmer greets her again once he is within earshot and asks her what it is that she needs.

"When are you guys are going to start working on the land again," Lucy asks.

Murphy puffs out his cheeks in thought as he crosses his arms. "Well, we were going to wait until you two were done with getting rid of the problem. Why?"

"We need to see the lightning. It would help us deduce what's really going on here. Since it only happens when you guys are clearing out the trees, we need to watch you work and find out what's really going on," Lucy explains.

A look of realization spreads across the Murphy's face before melting into concern and worry. "Are we gonna be safe?" he asks in a troubled tone.

Lucy gives him a hearty nod. "Of course! We won't let anything happen to you!" she declares with determination burning in her eyes. Her and Laxus are going to apprehend this criminal before he or she can even think about sparking up a single finger!

Murphy takes a step back before he overwhelmed from the aura of passion flowing out of the blonde woman. "We can start tomorrow if you like," he sweatdrops. "Today is market day so all of us are tending to our farms for the rest of the day. How about you two come by tomorrow morning for some breakfast before you get started. The misses will love to meet you."

"Alright! We'll be back first thing tomorrow morning then!" Lucy yells with a fist pump of happiness. Murphy gives her a concerned look before wryly smiling. Lucy takes that as a yes and marches toward town with more vigorous fist pumps.

Laxus watches the woman stride away from Murphy with a bored expression. He heaves a tired sigh before deciding to follow the partly crazed woman. _She can be a little too much sometimes_ , he thinks to himself as he catches up to her.

* * *

Just as she agreed the day previously, Lucy arrives with Laxus bright and early in the low morning sun. They knock on the Murphy's door and wait patiently for him to answer. A minute later, he shows up chewing a piece of food and holding a piece of toast in his hand. "Ah! Good, you're here. We've been waiting for you! The misses made enough food to feed a herd of cattle," he jokes as he steps aside for the mages.

Both blondes step inside before following Murphy into an adjoining room. A wooden table sits in the middle with stacks of food piled on top and four chairs situated around it. Various decorations line the walls of the room and give of a comfortable farm home vibe.

"Why hello there!" a woman exclaims joyfully as she walks into the dining room holding a bowl of biscuits.

"This is my wife Marilou," Murphy introduces the woman to Laxus and Lucy. "Well sit down, sit down. Have something to eat, can't have you two fainting from starvation," he says with a gesture to other chairs as he takes his own seat.

Marilou is a middle-aged woman with black hair like her husbands with the exception of a few gray hairs near the roots. She has her hair pulled up into a bun with a bandana covering the sides and top. Small crow's feet crinkle around her eyes and laugh lines around the corner of her lips appear as she welcomes the strangers into her home. She has a lean figure and she wears a plain blue dress with a frilly apron in the front that has a design of a cartoon cow head sewn into the fabric.

"So you are the mages that I've heard so much about. I cannot tell you how excited we are to start expanding again. You wouldn't believe how much of a hassle this whole situation has been," she gushes happily as she loads a horde of food onto a plate for both Lucy and Laxus. "I was telling the other wives about your visit yesterday and let me tell you they were as happy as a prize winning pig eating a trough full of slop."

A plate full of food is placed is placed in front of Lucy and Laxus while Marilou doesn't stutter once in her happy chatter.

Both blondes begin to eat their meal while listening to the farmer and his wife talk back and forth about anything and everything under the sun. Lucy is able to eat through half of her plate by the time she is full. Laxus, on the other hand, goes through three helpings before he sits back in contentment from a full stomach.

Surprisingly enough, neither Murphy nor Marilou question Laxus' massive appetite. Marilou just gives him another plate while Murphy talks about his farm.

After breakfast, Murphy escorts the two blondes outside to the inside of the outer fence around his farm. They are right next to where the lands have begun to become renovated and have a perfect view of everything that will probably go on.

"Wait here, I gotta go get the other farmer's and we'll get right to work," he says before walking to the neighboring house.

Lucy hops up onto the top rail of the fence so that she can sit with her feet dangling in front of her. Laxus leans down so his elbows are along the same rail Lucy sits and props his chin up in one hand.

Half an hour later, Murphy walks out to the messy landscape with half a dozen other men dressed in overalls or work pants. Three men, including Murphy, tackle the already chopped down trees while the other four go to the line of trees and begin cutting down new ones. Murphy and his group pull the stumps up from the ground and haul them to the side of the land so they can be used for firewood or burned in the compost pile. The other group takes giant saws with one man one each side to cut through the tough trees.

A few hours pass as Lucy and Laxus watch the men cut, chop, pull, drag, scrape, dig, and push. The groups switch places every hour so they are never doing the same thing for very long. Something about it being good for their backs.

All the while, no lightning bursts have appeared anywhere. Lucy is beginning to wonder whether or not the farmers were seeing things and there is really is no lightning. Laxus, though incredibly bored, keeps up his indifferent façade.

"Lemonade?" a cheerful voice chirps beside them.

Both blondes turn their heads to see smiling Marilou holding a tray full of glasses and a pitcher of sweet lemonade.

"Sure! Thanks!" Lucy says excitedly as she takes a glass. Laxus takes a glass with a grunt in gratitude. Marilou gives them both a bright smile before turning and walking toward the hard-working men.

Lucy takes a long drink out of her glass. The cool yellow liquid flows down her partially parched throat and quenches her thirst. She exhales a breath of satisfaction as she looks up at the bright blue sky. It is such a lovely day that she would love to spend it reading outside or shopping. Yet she can't due to the responsibilities of her current job.

Laxus takes small sips of his glass as he resumes his surveying of the land in front of him while wearing his frown of indifference.

One more hour passes before Lucy and Laxus hear anything directed toward them from the men.

"Hey Lucy?" Murphy grabs her attention as he walks up to the celestial mage. "Can you go get some more lemonade for me and the men? I would really appreciate it."

Lucy nods her head and hops off the fence. As she walks across the field, she stretches her stiff shoulders and back. She is secretly happy that she has an excuse to do something other than watching the men work. You can only watch seven guys doing the exact same over and over again for so long, after all.

Lucy walks up to Marilou whom is folding a pair of overalls. "Excuse me, Marilou? Do you have any more of that lemonade? Some of the farmers are asking for some," Lucy asks pleasantly.

"Of course! Take every drop if you need to. Can't have the men dying of dehydration," she teases.

Lucy nods her head in agreement and begins to pour several glasses full of lemonade.

Being a woman who loves to talk, Marilou tries to chat with the blonde woman. "You are your boyfriend are so cute," Marilou coos.

Lucy's nearly drops the pitcher of lemonade as her head shoots up to show a dropped jaw and a thick red blush over her cheeks. "B-Boyfriend?! No, no! We're not—He's not—" she denies vehemently as she waves her arms in front of her body. The lemonade sloshes around inside the pitcher and a few droplets of the yellow liquid fly out to spill on the ground.

Marilou tilts her head in question at the state of the younger woman before realizing that she embarrassed the poor girl. Marilou attempts to calm Lucy with a soft apologetic smile and voice saying, "Oh, I'm sorry dear, I just assumed." It seems to do the trick because Lucy suddenly stops flailing her arms and clutches the cool pitcher to her chest. "It's just that you two seem to fit each other so perfectly that it is the most logical conclusion. Even if you two don't date, you seem to enjoy being together. That's a good thing to have in a team you know," she chirps happily as she resumes her folding.

Lucy's eyebrows rise in surprise as the red blush diminishes to a small pink blush. She never expected to be complimented on such a thing so it makes her a little embarrassed, the good kind of embarrassed. "Thank you," she says timidly.

"Hey Lucy! Where's that lemonade?" Murphy calls across the field.

Snapping out of her trance, Lucy pours the last couple of glasses and empties the pitcher. "Coming!" she yells back. She thanks Marilou for the lemonade before running off with the glasses on the tray. Marilou giggles in the wake of the girl before wiping her hands on her apron to face the most difficult item to fold—the fitted bedsheet.

Lucy makes it back to Murphy is record time and hands over the lemonade. She grabs a glass for herself and for Laxus once her hands are free. Murphy thanks her and tells her that he will be right back. Murphy hands out the lemonade and returns with the empty glasses within fifteen minutes. Everyone resumes working while Lucy perches herself back on her spot on the fence.

Several more hours pass and there is still no lightning.

Lucy sighs in boredom. She is about to ask Laxus if they should just call it a day when Laxus' head jerks to the right shortly before they hear a scream. A bright yellow light shines through the greenery near the middle of the row of trees.

Without a second thought, Lucy and Laxus jump off or over the fence and run to where they saw the light. Within moments, both blondes arrive to where the flash of light came from and see two of the farmers lying on the ground. Lucy immediately runs over to them and asks, "Are you okay?"

Murphy and the others arrive on the scene just as the farmers on the ground nods their heads and stand up. "What happened?" Murphy demands.

"We were cutting the tree when that bolt of lightning came out of nowhere. It was about a foot or so away from us," one farmer says as he gestures toward the half cut tree.

"Did it hurt you?" Murphy presses.

"No, just scared the living shit out of us," the other farmer answers.

Murphy sighs in relief and motions to Lucy that he can take it from here. Lucy joins up with Laxus as he searches for any clues. They figure that someone must be firing lightning bolts at the farmers and they are determined to catch the mysterious man.

From the farmers' story, the lightning bolt occurred pretty close to the tree. Logically, that would mean that any clues would be in close proximity to the tree. Lucy looks on the ground for any kind of footprints or markings while Laxus surveys the area to pick up any residue static frequencies.

Lucy finds a lot of deer and fox footprints littered throughout the ground as well as the footprints of the farmers. A small black scorch mark appears on the ground about a foot away from the farmer so that part of the story has been confirmed. Thing is, that's it. There are no other indicators that anything ever happened there.

Laxus walks in different directions as he focuses his senses to register any form of electricity. If one direction does not produce any results he tries a different direction. He continues this trend every time a particular location is silent on his lightning radar.

They search the area for fifteen minutes and find nothing worth noting. No footprints, no electrical charge, no usual markings, nothing. It's like whoever did this just vanished into thin air.

"How is this possible," Lucy wonders in confusion as her and Laxus regroup near the tree.

"Hell if I know," Laxus gruffly replies.

Lucy cups her chin with her forefinger and thumb in thought. How can someone leave behind no tracks or indications that they were here? Where would they go? Why attack the farmers all of the sudden? What is his motive? All of the questions swirl in her head as she considers each and every one.

"I wouldn't think too hard on it," Murphy's voice cuts into her thoughts.

Lucy and Laxus look at the older man in slight surprise.

"If you can't find anything then you can't find anything," he says nonchalantly. "You've seen what we're talking about though so that counts for something. The men and I are getting tired and it's getting late. How about we start up first thing tomorrow morning and you can continue your investigation then?"

"Doesn't the lightning ever happen at night?" Lucy asks with a cock of her head.

Murphy shakes his head, "Nope, just when we're working."

Lucy frowns at the new information. _That doesn't make any sense…Why would the lightning only happen during the day?_

"We gotta go get ready for dinner; I'll see you two tomorrow. Don't forget to stop by for breakfast, we can talk then," Murphy says as he gives the mages a nod.

Lucy bids the farmers goodnight and turns toward the direction of the town. Her and Laxus' cabin is in the other side of the forest and they have to go through the small town in order to get on the right road. They realize how starving they are as they walk through the town and smell all of the wondrous scents. That's what they get for not eating all day.

Lucy says that she'll cook dinner once they reach the cabin. Laxus nods his head and thanks her.

The pair walks back to their cabin in companionable silence. The late evening sun shines through the leaves in the canopy and create spots along the forest floor. Birds chirp happily as they sing their final songs for the day before they fly away to slumber in their nests. Small animals scurry to and fro on their journey home to nestle into their warm homes.

Once Lucy unlocks the door she heads to the living room and plops down in one of the recliners. Laxus remains by the door and throws his fur-lined coat onto the closest flat surface.

"I'm gonna go train for a while. I saw an open field in the forest not too far away from here," Laxus states gruffly as he opens the front door.

"O-okay," Lucy says in surprise. She never noticed a nearby field. "I'll come get you when the food is ready."

Laxus turns to gaze at her skeptically from the corner of his eye. "You know where it is?"

Lucy shrugs her shoulders. "I'll figure it out. Can't be too hard when there will be lightning shooting up into the sky," she giggles.

He tsks at her before leaving. She rolls her eyes in response and lays back into the recliner. Taking a few minutes to herself, she tries to figure out what to make for dinner. They had hamburgers yesterday so she doesn't want to make that again. Oh, how about pasta?! That's easy to make! With her heart set on some kind of pasta dish, Lucy heaves herself up from the comfortable recliner and heads to the kitchen.

She looks in the fridge and sees that they have some tomatoes. She decides to make a simple marinara sauce to top some spaghetti that she knows they have. Simple, easy, and filling. What more can you ask for?

As Lucy prepares the tomatoes for the sauce, the farmer wife's words resonate through her mind. _Even if you two don't date, you seem to enjoy being together. That's a good thing to have in a team you know._

An odd combination of happiness and disappointment fill her heart while thinking about that those words. Happiness from receiving such a nice compliment and disappointment from how wrong the woman was.

As much time as her and Laxus have been spending together these past few months, that doesn't automatically make them team. She has never given it much thought due to them always being so busy but now that she has time, she can't help but dwell on the fact.

Should they be a team? They have worked well together in the past and all. Not to mention how they are technically "partners" right now due to Master's suggestion. The real question though, is will Laxus want to be partners with her after he is no longer required to do so? Does she want to be partners with him? Well, yeah. At least, that's what she thinks she wants. Otherwise she wouldn't feel so disappointed at the thought of not being in the same team.

Of course she also needs to consider the difference in the titles between them; her being a regular mage while he's an S-Class mage. How will that affect their team dynamic? It could make a huge difference, then again Erza was S-Class and she didn't act that different than anyone else. Any more than usual anyway.

Is she thinking too much into this? Or not enough? She has no idea. Maybe she needs some more time to consider if she even really wants to be his partner. It can't hurt to take her time and consider all of her options, right? Right. After all, she is thinking about becoming permanent partners with the man. He will become a valuable part of her life and she a part of his. That is not something to take lightly.

 _He already is valuable to you_ , a small voice claims inside of her head. Lucy shakes her head in the attempt to almost literally remove the voice from inside her mind. The last thing she needs is her own mind tempting her and giving her any crazy ideas.

Inhaling a deep breath through her nose, she focuses on making dinner. She can consider her options later when she has free time but right now she has a hungry dragon slayer to feed. Looking down at the food, she realizes that at some point in time while she was lost in her thoughts she has completely stopped moving and was staring into empty space.

Moving like lightning, Lucy has the spaghetti and sauce prepared in less than an hour. She walks out the front door and looks above the trees to spot any stray lightning bolts shoot up or down from the sky. The top of bright lights shine through the trees to her right and she knows immediately which direction to head.

The further that she walks into the forest the more lost she feels. Somehow she has gotten off of the small path and is somewhere in the middle of the forest. She can't see the tops of the trees or the sky so she has no idea where to find Laxus. She knew she shouldn't have taken that shortcut dammit!

Resorting to her last means of finding the blonde male, she starts to yell out his name through the vegetation. After yelling for several minutes Laxus hops out of the tree tops and lands next to her. Lucy nears jumps out of her panties from fright when Laxus appears beside her so suddenly and so quietly. She quickly resorts to chastising him for his rude behavior while he stands there and smirks down at her.

By the time both of the Fairy Tail mages reaches the cabin the spaghetti has grown cold.

* * *

"I heard that you saw the lightning yesterday," Marilou states with wide eyes as she gazes at the visitors in her house.

Lucy nods her head in acknowledgement. "Yeah but it's not what we expected," she frowns at the lack of progress.

"What do you mean?" Marilou questions the younger woman with a tilt of her head.

"It's just that it's so weird though that it only happens under very specific circumstances," Lucy sighs. "It never happens at night, only when the farmers are working, and only near the edge of the forest. And even then it only happens _sometimes_. Why would the guy pick those times? It just doesn't make any sense."

Murphy nods his head in agreement. "I never thought about it that way but yeah, you're right. That is strange."

"I think that we should observe you guys again today and hope that the lightning reappears. We don't have enough information to have any definite answers right now," Lucy explains her theory. "If you guys can work like you would normally then we might have a chance at catching whoever is doing this."

Murphy gives her a complicated look. One that is a mixture of understanding and apprehension. "I understand. Let me tell everyone else about your plan before we start. Might help convince them to give it their all," he says after a moment of silence.

Lucy gives him a bright smile and thanks him for all of his cooperation.

Just like yesterday, Lucy and Laxus return to their spot at Murphy's fence. They want to make sure they have a good vantage point of the whole landscape for the day

As Lucy sits next to Laxus, she thinks about the argument she had with herself the previous night. Once they were done with dinner, they went to their rooms and went to sleep. At least that was the plan. She spent the better part of the night tossing and turning over every little detail of the idea of her and Laxus becoming full-fledged partners. It was four o'clock in the morning by the time she came to a conclusion.

She, Lucy Heartfilia, is going to ask Laxus Dreyar to be her partner.

It was by five 'clock that she decided that she is going to do it before dinner that evening. That way he can have some time to consider her offer if he needs to. Although she thinks that he won't have to think about it and will agree straightaway.

It's going to be great!

But first, she has to make it through this day without dying of boredom. If only there was a way to pass the ti-

"Hey Laxus," Lucy says suddenly. "I'm going to go see if I can help the farmers out. It's better than just sitting here doing nothing."

Laxus turns his bored expression toward her. "As long as you pay attention to our job," he reminds her of their obligation.

Lucy smiles broadly at him and gives him several nods as a promise not to forget why they are there. She hops off the railing and heads over to where some of the other farmers are having trouble pulling up a thick tree trunk base.

She pulls out a small golden key and chants a verse that he knows all too well. He knows it so well that he could probably say it in his sleep. Scratch that, he is _sure_ that he can say it in his sleep.

Within a couple of seconds a bright light appears in front of the blonde woman before fading to reveal the pink-haired maid named Virgo.

"Your partner sure is amazing," Murphy says as he comes up beside Laxus while holding a glass of lemonade.

Laxus doesn't move an inch with the exception of his eyes slightly widening to betray his surprise at the older man's statement. "Partner?" he wonders. He looks ahead to where Lucy is chatting with Virgo about helping the famers dig up the old tree stumps. The farmers have hearts in their eyes as big comical tears of happiness flow down their cheeks.

Lucy as his partner? Sure, he considers her his friend but he has never really considered her his "partner". Although she has been somewhat attached to him since they meet in Hargeon. Not to mention how they have been doing almost everything together for the past three months and how she is "supervising" him for Macao. But does that make her his partner?

Memories of the Thunder Legion flash through his mind and Laxus can feel his heart tear into two; one side floats in light airy happiness while the other drowns in a sea of sorrow and anger. _I won't go through that again…_ he decides silently to himself. His mood reflects his dark thoughts as he makes up mind to protect himself despite the pain in his heart.

"Yeah," Murphy exclaims happily. "She's really sweet and she is so considerate of everyone. It is such a great thing to see, especially someone who works in your profession. She reminds me a lot of my wife. Best partner a man can ever ask for."

Laxus' shoulders tense further. He is well aware of how much he is aware of how kind of a person Lucy is. She has been nothing but good to him. That is one of the reasons that she is such a great partner. The blatant ache in his chest drives that point home.

Luckily for Laxus, at that moment a bright yellow bolt of lightning streaks out from the line of trees. He uses that as an excuse to get away from the farmer and his unintentional mood dampening chatter.

Lucy tells Virgo to help the farmers while she goes and checks on the source of the lightning. She runs off while Virgo gives a neat bow and begins to effortlessly dig into the ground.

The blonde duo arrive the lightning's location at the same time and look around expectantly. Laxus takes the opportunity to go scouting through the trees and leaps up into the branches. Lucy begins her search on foot. They continue this style of investigation for the next thirty minutes until another lightning burst shines through the trees on the other end of the row.

Of course, they run there and start all over again. After another thirty minutes, Lucy finally sends Virgo back to conserve some of her magical energy.

They spend the rest of the day going back and forth between old and new sources of electricity and carefully surveying each one. Laxus tries his damnedest to avoid being around Lucy for prolonged periods of time. Whatever he is feeling, he doesn't want to involve her any more than what is necessary and he already knows that she has indirectly involved. It doesn't help his attitude that they come up empty-handed each time.

It leaves them in a complete conundrum. What in the hell is going on here?

Murphy and the other farmers notice how much of a difficult time the two mages are having and end the day early. No need in risking their safety when even the trained mages of Fairy Tail cannot figure out what is going on.

Customary to the previous days, Murphy invites them to breakfast the following morning. Lucy gives a small smile in goodbye while Laxus grunts and rudely turns away to head home.

Both blondes return the cabin. On the trip there Lucy trailed behind Laxus and throws worried glances at his brooding back. She figures that he is frustrated about not making any progress in their job so she doesn't press the man for answers.

Laxus heads straight for his room and tosses his coat onto his bed once they arrive. Lucy gives him a concerned look as she stands in the living room alone. She wants to get his mind off of the job and figures that having him thinking about them as a team might help relieve some of the tension.

"I need to go train," Laxus growls as he walks through the living room and past Lucy. Just being in the same house as her is starting to drive him insane.

"Okay," Lucy yelps in agreement. "I'll come get you when dinner is ready."

Laxus glares at Lucy over his shoulder. Where the hell does she get off being so nice? The horrible thought strikes a chord in his heart and he can feel his self-fate rising in his chest. _Holy fuck I need to get out of here_ , he whispers internally to himself. Laxus almost stomps the remaining distance through the living room to the front door.

As she watches him walk away Lucy can feel her plan of asking him to be her partner slowly slipping through her fingers. It's now or never!

"Hey Laxus? I've been thinking…" Lucy trails off as she nervously bites her lower lip. _Come on get it together Lucy!_

"Hmm?" he mumbles as his hand closes around the door knob. He turns his head to look over his shoulder that the petite woman.

"Well…um…"

"What?"

"I…do you…I mean…"

"Just spit it out already," his irritancy increases every second that Lucy fidgets behind him. He really needs to leave to go work off some of this stress.

"Would you like to be partners? Officially?" Lucy asks hesitantly. Now that the words have left her mouth, there is no taking them back. Everything rides on the next few seconds. She looks up into his green eyes with a hopeful smile.

Surprise and fear run up Laxus' spine at Lucy's question. _No…_ His mind automatically shuts down and goes on the defense. He already swore to himself that he is not going to go through _that_ again. No matter what.

"No," he hisses through his gritted teeth.

Lucy's face and heart drop at his answer. "W-what?" she questions in a cracked voice.

"I don't want to be your partner. Not now," he growls as he flings the door open, "not ever," he finishes as he slams the door shut behind him. The small cabin shakes from the sheer force of the impacting door.

Lucy is frozen. Her body…her mind…her heart…it's all frozen solid. Everything comes to a complete standstill, even the air becomes silent.

Long, dreadful minutes pass before a small, almost silent, choked sob fills the steady room. Another loud strangled cry follows and then another follows until sharp cries reverberate through the walls as the blonde celestial mage falls to her knees.

Lucy coves her face with her hands as she cries hot wet tears.

 _Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! How can I be so stupid?! Why did I think that he would want someone like me to be his partner?!_ she berates herself. A deep seated part of her soul crumbles into pieces as the pain of rejection begins to become fully apparent to the celestial mage.

A small shimmer of light appears beside her to reveal a small snowman shaped creature. He puts his white paw on Lucy's forearm to gain her attention. Lucy looks down through blurry eyes to see the outline of the little spirit. Without a second thought she scoops him into her arms and hugs him to her chest. Teardrops slide down her cheeks as she holds the small doggie as a sole source of comfort.

Laxus marches through the forest with heavy steps. His bad mood has worsened to record breaking depths. He has never felt this despondent in his life and he has no idea how to fix it. How to possibly make himself feel better after rejecting her. The only clear solution he knows is to train until he is too exhausted to care. With the extra incentive, his legs carry him faster to the one place that _might_ be able to help him relieve some of this heartache.

As he arrives to his training field he strips out of his shirt and takes his place in the middle of the grassy area. He pulls his magic to his limbs where it sparks around his massive body. He tries to focus the energy around him to create a sort of haze but his concentration is broken every few seconds with a picture of Lucy flashing through his mind.

Lucy sits on the floor holding Plue for almost an hour. Her crying has now lessened to a few whimpers every now and then. A sharp chill runs down her spine to remind her that she has indeed been sitting on the cold hard floor.

"Plue, plue?" her spirit mumbles through the flesh of her breast.

"Yeah…yeah. I'll get off the floor," she agrees with him.

She shakily stands up and leans against the armrest of the couch. Her shoulders droop but remain tense and her eyes reflect the deep depression that shrouds her heart.

A meager grumbling noise vibrates across Lucy's stomach. She places a hand over her hungry stomach and mumbles, "That's right. I promised to make dinner. Guess I better get started." Without an ounce of feeling, she walks to the kitchen and pulls out some vegetables and broth. A stew is very simple and pretty much the only thing she is capable of making without too much focus.

Her movements are almost robotic. No energy is wasted and she performs the bare minimum of what she promised. Plue watches from the entry way between the kitchen and living room with a worried and concerned expression.

He doesn't like seeing his master like this. He never has. He wants her to be happy and he doesn't know what to do to make her smile.

"Plue? Can I ask you something?" Lucy asks in a hushed voice as she pours the broth into a pot.

Plue nods his head in a very shaky manner.

"What's wrong with me?" she continues in an equally quiet tone, "Am I really so weak that I have no worth at all? Or does he just not want _me_?"

Plue shakes his head before waddling over to Lucy and hugs her leg. Lucy looks down at the small creature. She appreciates what he is trying to do but not even his cuteness can lift her spirits right now.

Too many questions float around in her head and she easily gets lost in them. Why doesn't he want to be partners with her? Is it because she isn't as strong as him? Is it because she doesn't have as much experience as him? Or is it that he doesn't like her. That he finds find her annoying or burdensome? He never said anything in the past and that's what makes all of this so confusing. Why now? What has she done to upset him? Why did he seem so angry?

Should she try talking to him? She knows that he isn't much of a talker so that might not by the best idea. Maybe they should just stay away from one another until this whole thing blows over. No, can't do that. They're on a job and they would risk the good reputation of Fairy Tail if they just quit the job because they aren't on speaking terms.

She just had to go and ask him while on a job. Why couldn't she wait until they got back to Magnolia? She could at least cry in the safety of her own home. What a horrible situation she has put herself in.

She wants answers to all of these questions yet she doesn't feel like she has the mental or emotional capability right now to seek them out.

By the time that Lucy focuses on the food in front of her, she has already cut up all of the vegetables, poured the broth in, and the food has been cooking for several minutes.

Lucy puts the lid on the pot and puts it on simmer. The stew should be finished by the time that she fetches Laxus.

Her heart throbs in pain at the thought of interacting with the man who stomped on her feelings. She knows that seeing him while only tear up her heart even more. Yet, she can't bring herself to make herself neglect her promise.

With a final glance over everything, she heaves a sad sigh. Picking up the small spirit, she whispers over his head, "Come on Plue. Let's go tell Laxus that the food is ready." Gently closing the door, she takes small slow steps into the forest in the attempt to prolong the time she has apart from him.

At the clearing, Laxus' training has intensified. Instead of his casual sparks the lightning has morphed into large bolts of lightning that strike out at the ground like razors. Black scorch marks are etched into the earth and create patterns of unnatural swirls and twists.

Laxus charges a large amount of lightning into one hand. He makes a tight ball with the magic and aims it at trees on the far side of the clearing. The lightning slams into the wooden truck with a crunch. The fibers of the tree split from the impact and effectively blasts the tree to pieces. Tiny pieces of wood debris fly into the air and splash against anything in close range.

He repeats this exercise until he begins to lose the feeling in his arms. But he doesn't care. All he cares about is not feeling like shit any more. Not feeling like he just made a horrible mistake. Not having his heart scream at him to go back to her and explain.

His mind chants the words with each new punch. _She's not your partner…your partners died months ago…all you'll get is heartbreak…it's better to be alone…you'll be safe if you're alone…_

Every word shatters a piece of his already frozen heart. No matter how much pain each verse brings his soul, his mind knows that if he left himself vulnerable, if he let someone else in, only unbearable pain will follow. He is fighting an intense internal battle right now; his heart versus his mind. His heart demands that he let Lucy fill the hole that plagues his chest while his head reminds him how lost he felt when he lost them. The logical side of him solidifies the idea that as long as he never lets Lucy in…never let himself care for her like he did with…with…

Magic swirls around Laxus' body as his thoughts are ravaged by Lucy, the Thunder Legion, and his grandfather. He's sick and tired; sick and tired of feeling lonesome, sad, and angry whenever he thinks about her or them. He just wants for all of these stupid emotions to leave him alone. Without proper restraint on his magic, it builds around his body until a bright yellow mass of buzzing lightning is zooming around the air in close proximity to the blonde. Yellow blurs of fur scurry and hide behind trees as the foxes run away from dangerous man.

Reaching his emotional limit, Laxus releases all of the buildup into the air to create a multitude of thick lightning bolts raining down from the sky. Many hit the trees and ground to leave burnt residue in their wake.

The noise from the extreme amount of lightning destroying everything in its path is deafening. Laxus is so lost in his thoughts that he barely hears a scream. Looking where he thought he heard someone, Laxus' eyes widen as horror floods his system.

Standing at the edge of the trees is Lucy. Her mouth is open as she screams in agonizing pain, her eyes wide open, and her muscles twitching from being struck by a single strong, powerful lightning bolt. Plue has been dropped to the ground and is starting to fade away into the Celestial Spirit world.

Laxus immediately ceases his magic. All of the bright lightning fades away into the air, leaving nothing more than silence, the burnt trees and ground, and the two blondes.

As if in slow motion, her body begins to fall to the right. Loose strands of hair flow through the still air and her clothes hang off of her body. In what felt like minutes, but is only mere seconds, Lucy's back hits the ground with a thud. Her head hits the ground shortly afterwards with her eyes wide open but unseeing and her arm rolls out to the side. She doesn't move a muscle as a breeze gently blows over her skin.

"Lucy!" Laxus yells as he sprints to her side.

Nearing her, Laxus kneels next to her. Both of her eyes are staring straight up into the blue sky but lack all form of life in them. Her lips are slightly parted but no breath passes between them. The rest of her body is completely still as if she has been frozen in ice.

"Lucy! Lucy, can you hear me?!" he says as he hunches over her body. He grabs her shoulders and tries to shake her awake. Her head rolls from side to side like a limp doll. Nothing. She doesn't stir and only continues to stare upwards with those lifeless eyes.

Laxus leans down and puts his ear over her chest. He waits for a single heartbeat to flutter. One second…three seconds…ten seconds…

…Nothing…

…Her heart has stopped beating.

Panic, terror, and pain swallow Laxus whole as he realizes what he has done. His heart starts to pound in his chest but his blood runs cold as he fully realizes what he has done. _Oh god…Oh please, no…_ he begs internally. _This can't be happening. I just…I killed her…_


	8. Chapter 8

**I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed, and/or favorited this story! You guys make my day and inspire me to keep writing! Thanks so much! I couldn't do it without you!**

 **As the Mirage Prismatic pointed out in their fabulous review, I haven't really used some characters from the series. And you are indeed very correct, I really haven't put too much consideration and thought into using those characters but I should include them more often. After all, who doesn't like interguild relationships? Thank you for reminding me!**

 **I know that it was a very cruel thing to do to leave you on such a cliffhanger but hey it was April's Fool Day after all so I am using that as my excuse. *creepily laughs* Since I'm not a total creepo, here is an extra-long chapter. Hope this makes everyone feel better about the wait and suspense!**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

Laxus' mind scatters in an instant as he tries to figure out what to do.

Immediately, a memory of a ten year old boy with spikey blonde hair and a short elderly man with white hair standing next to a dummy on a table next to them flashes through Laxus' mind's eye.

" _But I don't want to," a young Laxus says as he crosses his arms. "I don't want to kiss the stupid doll."_

" _You're not kissing the doll. You are learning how to do CPR. It's very important," Makarov insists._

" _Why do I have to learn this again?" he whines._

" _Because your magic could potentially stop someone's heart and you have to know what to do if that should ever happen," Makarov nods wisely._

" _You mean I would have to kiss another person!?" young Laxus asks horrified. "I'm not kissing anyone! Especially not a boy!"_

" _For the last time, you are not kissing them! You are giving them mouth to mouth so their heart can restart. You can save someone's life by using this method," Makarov repeats himself._

" _But-"_

" _No buts! You are going to learn how to do this whether you like it or not so you better just get used to it!" Makarov scolds his grandson. "Now get over to that doll and we'll begin."_

 _Young Laxus pouts but does as his grandfather orders. He spends the rest of the day learning how to resuscitate someone with Makarov teaching him._

Only a few seconds have passed while he was having his flashback. Realizing that he could still have a chance, Laxus situates himself to be more firmly placed beside Lucy.

Placing the heel of one hand between her breasts and covering it with his other hand, he locks his elbows as he leans over her core. Pressing with his whole upper body weight, he compresses her chest with substantial force repeatedly for a minute. Grunts escape his throat with each push as he hopes that this works.

Finishing with the chest pumping, he tilts her head back to administer mouth-to-mouth. He takes a deep breath before pinching her nostrils close and seals her open mouth with his own. A spark of electricity spears through their connected lips from his body onto hers. In his muddled mind he passes it off as static and focuses on reviving his guildmate.

He releases his breath into her airway for a few seconds before retracting his mouth. He takes another breath and seals his mouth over hers again to give her a second breath.

Nothing inside of Lucy stirs.

The panic inside of Laxus heightens as he tries again. Beginning with the chest compressions, he tries to restart her heart. Then he bends over her body and presses his lips to hers to force air into her lungs.

Still nothing.

Lucy looks upwards into the blue sky with those lifeless eyes as Laxus tries desperately to bring her back. He is near his breaking point as he tries once more.

He performs the chest presses for another minute before sealing her mouth with his own. He pushes a large amount of air into her lungs before coming up to breathe. With the largest breath he can muster, he breathes in Lucy's mouth once more.

The air rushes into her lungs and expands her chest from the pressure of the air. In a single instant, Lucy's heart takes its first beat.

Thick ragged coughs stretch Lucy's throat as she forces the air in her body outwards. A wide eyed Laxus immediately pries his lips from hers when he feels her move beneath him.

A sharp, deep gasp of air is sucked into her lungs as fresh air replaces the air she lost during her coughing fit. In the attempt to catch up with the lost time, Lucy's heart begins pumping hard and fast against her rib cage. The movement pushes blood to her muscles and makes her whole body spasm. Another coughing fit occurs moments after as her heart and lungs try to become synchronized.

Laxus grabs her shoulders to ensure that she remains somewhat still as relief, happiness, and worry pour into his being. He starts panting heavily in order to get some calming oxygen into bloodstream.

He did it…he brought her back…Lucy is alive…

Lucy lays back on the grass as her muscles calm. Her chest rises and falls as her lungs take in the necessary air and her heart steadily slows to its natural pace.

Light begins to gently pour into her vision. Shades of black and gray fade into blurry colors of blue, green, and yellow. The contrasting colors then begin to sharpen into lines and edges before revealing hazy figures of a blue sky, green trees, and Laxus.

Lucy blinks as to try to sharpen her vision and lolls her head to the side. "Laxus?" she barely rasps out as she feels her eyes roll around in her head.

"Hey, hey, don't move," Laxus says hastily as he cups her cheek to keep her head still. "Just relax, okay?"

Exhaustion seeps into her body and Lucy is rendered helpless against the feeling. "Okay…" her breathy voice trails off as her head falls into Laxus' hand.

Panic rises again in Laxus' chest. Never letting go of her head, he puts his ear over Lucy's heart. Normal, slow heartbeats can be heard resonating within the girl's chest. Relief washes over him again as he sits up on his haunches and he tries to calm his breathing. _She fell asleep, she's not dead,_ he tells himself.

Ever so gently, Laxus slides the hand holding Lucy's head around to cup her neck while wrapping the other hand under her knees. With steady hands, he carefully picks her up to cradle her against his chest. As he listens for any fluctuation of her heartbeat, thanks to his dragon slayer hearing, he gradually walks back to the cabin.

Laxus kicks the front door in, effectively shattering the lock and making the doorknob useless, and closes it with his foot once he is inside. Bypassing the stew in the kitchen, Laxus makes a beeline for Lucy's room. He gently lowers Lucy onto her bed and covers her with her bedsheets.

The curtain to the window is open and the last remnants of the setting sun's light highlight the room. The room turns bluish black as the sun disappears over the horizon and Laxus flicks on the lamp. Yellowish tones light the room to give off a calming aura.

Laxus goes into his room and throws on a shirt because he completely forgot to grab the shirt he stripped out of at the training field. With a sigh he grabs the chair to the dressing table to place next to Lucy's bed.

He takes his seat beside the bed and watches over her. He wants to ensure that she remains stable, to calm his fear that her heart will magically stop beating. While he sits there, hunched over on his knees, his mind begins to question why all of this happened.

When she suggested that they become partners, the first thing he thought about was the Thunder Legion. About what they would think or how they would feel if they knew she became his partner. Would they be angry? Or upset? Would they feel betrayed, ashamed, or disappointed that he would choose someone else to help support him? He wishes he could just ask them and be done with this whole emotional mess.

As his mind revolves through these questions, all he can imagine is Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen's smiling faces. He remembers all of the conversations and arguments they had while they spent time with him. How each of the three had their own way of caring. How they fought beside him with few complaints. How they would follow and support him till the end of time.

It is then that he realizes that this instance would be no different. If this is something that he truly wanted then they would give their blessings. Plain and simple.

Now the only question is: how does he feel about Lucy? While his mind tells him that he is in shock and it's the adrenaline, his mind could not deny the emotions that flow through every orifice in his body. No amount of logical sense could rationalize what he is feeling right now. He has no choice but to accept the truth…

He cares for her.

If he didn't care then he wouldn't be sitting at her bedside peering at her sleeping body. He wouldn't refuse to leave her until he sees that she is alright. He wouldn't want to hear her voice again.

Deep down in the corners of his heart and gut he knew that he has always cared for her ever since that first day. After they began spending time together, the small section of his heart where his care for her resided expanded. It was subtle; so subtle that he didn't even realize that it was happening. Every time that they would do something together it would grow a little bit more. Soon enough, a part of his heart was solely reserved for her. Just like Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen had their own sections of his heart.

As much as he doesn't understand it, he enjoys her company. Her laughter when she sees something humorous, her insults when they banter back and forth, how she writes her book while he listens to his music, their dinners together, and how efficiently they work together; he enjoys it all. That's what scares him.

The more that he is around her, the more important she becomes to him. Right now, they're friends. That's it. Sometimes they can go on a job together and have a good time but they remain _just friends_. If they become partners…she'll be well on her way to a _close friend_. That's a new step in their friendship. A step that could have a lot of heartache attached to it.

What if something happens to her? What if she gets hurt on a job and killed? What if she winds up just like the Thunder Legion? He doesn't think he could go through that heartbreak again. After Laxus lost his three closest friends, he swore to himself that he would never get that close to anyone again. It's too painful; nothing but loss and misery.

Yet somehow Lucy has managed to convince him to let down the walls he tried so hard to build up without a single word. She did it so effortlessly and unknowingly that he never caught on to what she was doing to him. Not once. It only became known to him that she had secured a place in his heart when the idea of them becoming partners was suggested.

Laxus already knew that his heart wanted her to be his partner but his mind couldn't let that happen. It kept repeating how he will feel the same traumatizing heartache if he loses her too. Remembering all of that pain caused Laxus to forget what he felt and listen to his logic. His heart ached at not being close to the celestial mage. His pain turned to sadness which quickly turned to anger. Anger at her, anger at himself, anger at anything and everything. And look at where that has gotten him. Sitting over Lucy's body praying that she'll be alright, that's where.

Running a hand through his hair, Laxus watches Lucy's chest rise and fall as she sleeps. _What should I do?_ he wonders with a sigh. Now that he admits it to himself, he wants to be partners with the blonde woman despite his mind screaming at him that he is making a mistake. He understands now that the mistake would be _not_ letting her into his life.

But it might be too late.

He struck her. He literally, physically, unmistakably, struck her with his lightning. There is no way of knowing if she will want to be his partner now until she wakes up. He won't be surprised if she doesn't want to be near him again; be it from fear or hatred, he would understand. His heart cracks at the thought of never spending time with her again. _It would be what I deserve…_

A rustle from under the covers makes Laxus focus on the woman in the bed. Her breathing has changed to signal her awakening she is beginning to stir from her sleep. A wave of fear and anxiety crashes over Laxus as he realizes that he is about to find out whether or not she will ever have anything to do with him again.

Lucy's big chocolate doe eyes flutter open to take in the hazy surroundings. A blur of yellow, cream, black are directly next to her while the background is a mixture of brown and pale yellow. Scrunching her eyes, Lucy tries to wipe away all of the fog. Slowly but surely, a very familiar face comes into focus.

"Laxus?" Lucy mumbles as her head slightly rolls to the side to look at the man.

He remains silent and continues to stare down at her. A bountiful amount of various emotions swim through his eyes as Lucy gazes up into them.

Suddenly a faint picture comes to the forefront of her mind. She remembers walking through the forest and to the edge of a clearing. In the middle of the area stands Laxus with magic pouring out of every pore in his body. She is about to call out to him when he releases a tremendous amount of magic in the form of lightning. A beautiful storm of bright lights dancing across the air and striking down onto the trees and grass transfixes her into a state of awe. It is absolutely breathtaking.

That is why she never saw it coming…the lightning bolt that struck her in the chest. She remembers screaming in agony and dropping Plue. She remembers how the world turned black and the pain ceased. She doesn't know what happened but as she lays here looking at the lightning slayer she can hazard a guess. The ache inside her chest and the small spasms of her muscles confirm her theory as to what happened.

Positioning both arms behind her, she attempts to hoist herself forward to sit upwards. A slight tilt from Lucy makes Laxus reach out and grab her shoulders to steady her. Lucy can feel how his hands are shaking as they gently clamp around her upper arms. She looks at the man confused as to what could be the matter. She was the one who got electrocuted, not him. So why does he look like the world just ended.

"How are you feeling?" he asks without looking at her, instead he peers at his lap.

Lucy gives herself a quick once over before tilting her head in an attempt to look Laxus in the eye. "My chest hurts a little bit and I feel kinda sore but other than that I'm fine," she replies with a smile.

Laxus nods his head and retracts his arms to rest them on his knees. The pain in his heart slightly relents when he hears that she is alright but that still doesn't change what he did. "Lucy…I…I-I'm so sorry. I never meant to…," his voice quivers as he apologizes.

Concern spreads across Lucy's face as she softly gazes at the man. "It's okay Laxus. I forgive you. I know it was just an accident."

His hands clench into tight fists at Lucy's words. "How do you know that?" he asks harshly without looking up from his lap.

Looking down at her own lap, Lucy twiddles her thumbs. "I know you would never hurt me on purpose. Besides I didn't tell you I was there and I wasn't paying attention," she says quietly.

"Why were you there?"

"I came to tell you that dinner is ready."

The knuckles on both hands begin to turn white as he grips them so hard. Of course. Of course she came for something so trivial. "You should not have done that. You should have stayed away from me," he mumbles as he tries to keep his voice steady but fails.

Lucy's head snaps up to look offended at Laxus. "And why would I do that?" she accuses.

Silence fills the room as Lucy waits on her answer. Laxus hunches his back over more to try to hide from the glaring blonde. "Because I almost killed you…" he whispers. That is the first time that he said those words and they feel like they ran a knife through his heart.

Lucy frowns at the man. Swinging her legs over to the side she positions herself directly in front of Laxus. "Laxus, look at me," she says gently.

He doesn't move an inch.

"Laxus. Look. At. Me," Lucy commands in a stronger voice.

With complete hesitance, Laxus raises his eyes to look Lucy in the face.

"It was just an accident," Lucy begins. "You didn't know I was there and were just letting off some steam. I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings and not gawking at the light show. If I had been more careful than none of this would have happened. I'm sorry that I made you worry about me."

Laxus' mouth slightly drops as he looks at her bewildered. No. No, there is no way that she is apologizing for his mistake. "That doesn't change what I did to you. You're my guildmate and I fucking electrocuted you. You never should have come and tried to get me."

"I choose to go find you _because_ you're my guildmate and friend," Lucy replies simply.

Lucy's answer catches him off guard and he can only stare up in shock at her. Laxus' lip quivers as he takes a deep breath. "How about now? Am I still your friend?" he asks quietly. Every ounce of him is praying that she will say yes. He would understand if she says that she doesn't want to be partners with him but it will kill him if she doesn't want anything to do with him ever again.

Lucy gives him a confused look. "Of course you are. Why would you think that you aren't?" she asks.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because I almost fucking killed you!" he shouts as he slams his clenched fist on his knees.

"You didn't mean to though!" she exclaims.

"Why do you keep defending me?!"

"Because you're my partner!" Lucy screams. Her eyes go wide and she clamps a hand over her mouth when she realizes what she said. The words had left her mouth before she had a chance to stop them. _Way to go Lucy, way to make an even bigger fool of yourself,_ she chastises herself. "Sorry. I-I didn't…I know you don't want to be partners," she replies as she looks down at her lap embarrassed.

Laxus' voice catches in his throat. _Partner? She still wants to be my partner?_ he wonders in amazement. Why would she ever be partners with someone who almost killed her?

He stares at her for a long minute before dropping his head. "No you don't. You don't know anything," Laxus mumbles.

Lucy hesitantly looks up at him through her eyelashes. What is he talking about? "But you said-"

"I know what I said," he interjects gruffly. Laxus runs a hand through his hair and sighs heavily. "Ever since I lost the Thunder Legion…" he trails off in a whisper.

A small gasp comes from Lucy as she clenches her hands to her chest. She never thought about that. She was so caught up in her own thoughts and feelings that she never considered Laxus' feelings.

How could she have been so blinded? She should have known. She had such a tremendously hard time coming to terms with her not being a part of Team Natsu and possibly having a new partner in Laxus. That was what caused her to stay up so late the previous night. The small details of them being partners paled in comparison to the real issue of her hesitancy.

A large part of her felt like if she became partners with Laxus then the friendship and trust she had with Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, Wendy, and Carla would become less special. That her team never meant the world to her since they would be pushed aside and forgotten so easily. The terrible thought terrified her. She was so scared that she would forget her friends if she tried to move forward with her life.

What made it even more difficult was that the irrational part of her was concerned over what Team Natsu would say to her if they could talk to her. Would they approve of her decision? Would they feel comfortable with her being with Laxus? Would they be happy that she is no longer partnering with them and someone else? Would they forgive her?

It took hours to convince herself that none of her fears or concerns had any merit. She is alive and Natsu, Happy, Gray, Erza, Wendy, and Carla are dead. She cannot sit in a dark room and cry for the rest of her life. She has to move forward and do what is best for her. All because she is making new friends does not mean that she will forget her old ones. She will cherish the memory of her lost friends for all of eternity; that she has no doubt in. As for what they would say to her if they could talk to her, they would say that they want her to be happy. If being partners with Laxus will make her happy then that is what she should do. And there wouldn't be anything to forgive because they love and trust her and Laxus as their guildmates. That is when she felt a heavy weight lift off her shoulders and took all her apprehension away with it.

So of course Laxus would have some reservations about not having the Thunder Legion by his side and only having her instead. He probably felt like she did and thought he was betraying his friends. Thing is, he never really dealt with it. She only got over it last night and she expected him to just magically be okay with everything from the get go. That was wrong on her part. Both of them have their own issues to deal with and both of them need to deal with them to be able to move forward with their lives.

"It's okay Laxus," Lucy whispers, "I understand."

"No you don't!" he bites out. He didn't mean for it too sound so harsh but it did. "I feel all torn up inside. I feel angry and hurt and sad and every other possible shitty feeling on the whole goddamn planet. I feels like…like-" Laxus pauses in frustration as he tries to figure out how express in words exactly what he is feeling.

"Like there is a hole in your heart," Lucy says quietly as she fiddles with her bed sheet. "Almost like a piece of yourself is missing. And no matter what you say or do to make that hole go away, nothing ever works and it just stays there taunting you. It's the worst when you wake up in the morning and when you go to bed every night because that is when you feel the most alone. That's when it reminds you that everything you've done, everything you've worked so hard for, everyone you loved is gone and there is nothing you can do to get them back."

Laxus looks at her completely stunned. _How does she know? How does she understand?_

Then it dawns on him.

She knows _exactly_ how he feels. Not sorta, maybe, kinda knows. _Exactly_ how he feels.

He remembers her story of how her life was before Fairy Tail and how lonely she was. She had no friends and a father that never cared for her. Then she finally gained some friends that loved her no matter what she did and became a part of Team Natsu. Then in a blink of an eye, those friends are snatch away by death in the form of a dragon while she is left alone to deal with the grief.

Her life perfectly mirrors his. All he's gotta do is change Team Natsu to the Thunder Legion. If there was anyone who can understand what he has been going through, it's her. If he could punch himself for being so self-centered and blind to not notice that they are going through the same dilemma and grief, he would.

"Lucy…" Laxus mumbles as he bows his head in shame. "I'm so sorry."

Lucy meekly looks up to see the despondent dragon slayer. "Yeah, me too," she adds.

He raises his eyes to look into her chocolate eyes with a questioning gaze. She can tell that he wishes to know why she's apologizing. She gives him a sad smile and says, "I'm sorry that I assumed you were okay with everything. When I was debating over whether or not I should ask you if you want to be partners last night, I had to come to terms with not having Team Natsu here with me. I felt like I was leaving them behind if I became a part of a different team. A part of me even thought they would hate me if they knew." Lucy's voice quivers on the last few words and she has to take a moment to compose herself. "It took me hours to convince myself that I was just scared of moving on and that I won't forget them. That I have to do what I think is best for me and that they will be happy _because_ I am doing what is best for me. That's why I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I forgot you lost your team too. I just assumed that you wouldn't have any issues like I did so I thought that you would be okay with teaming up with me. I was so caught up in my own problems that I forgot about yours. So I'm sorry."

Laxus listened carefully and silently throughout Lucy's speech. Each word rang true in his ears as his heart ached at how accurately she describes their pain. But at the same time his soul also finds relief at finally finding someone who understands what he is going through, enough to make him think that he can possibly be happy again.

"Yeah…I'm sorry I didn't realize we were going through the same shitty emotions. Makes me realize how fucked up we really are," Laxus scoffs as he bows his head again.

A chuckle slips past Lucy's lips at his crude statement. "We could be a lot worse," she replies. The smile drops from her face as she turns back to gaze at her covers. "We could be alone."

Tense silence fills the room at Lucy's last statement.

"Do you really want to be partners?" Laxus whispers in a hushed voice. "Even after everything?"

Lucy turns her head to look at the blonde male. She takes his words into consideration even though her heart has known the answer since the beginning of this whole conversation.

"On one condition," she says in a compelling tone. It makes him raise his head to look her in the face with curiosity. "I don't want to be a replacement for the Thunder Legion; just as I don't want you to be a replacement for Team Natsu. No one will ever replace them. I want us to be a new start. To become a new chapter in both of our lives. Is that okay?"

Laxus studies the bedridden woman. A real smile graces his face as he nods his head. "Wouldn't want it any other way," he replies gently.

Lucy returns his smile with one of her brightest and biggest smiles. Her heart swells from joy and elation. "Alright, _partner._ Hey, I have an idea. Let's stop by the memorial in Magnolia when we back to tell our teams the good news," she says as she tries to lighten the heavy mood.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan," he replies with another smile.

A wide yawn claws its way up from Lucy's throat. Laxus takes that as his cue to leave the celestial mage and let her sleep. They've had a pretty rough day and they really need to get some rest. As he gets up to leave he grabs the chair and turns off the light. He hears her snuggle into her bed as he walks over her door's threshold.

"Hey Laxus?" Lucy calls quietly across the room.

He hums into the darkness.

"The stew is finished. Make sure you turn off the stovetop when you're done eating," she yawns again as she turns on her side. She quickly falls asleep, exhausted from the emotionally and physically taxing day.

Laxus stares his new partner in bafflement. _She really is a piece of work_ , he thinks to himself. He'll have to make sure to save her a bowl for tomorrow.

* * *

Lucy wakes up feeling emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausted. Of course being electrocuted and almost dying not even twenty four hours ago probably had something to do with that. But the biggest part of her feels happy and relieved. Happy and relieved that everything worked out for her and Laxus in the end. A small dull ache continues to reside in her chest and her muscles are still sore but nowhere near what they were last night.

She gently pulls herself out of bed and walks over to the bathroom connected to her room. Looking in the mirror she realizes, much to her annoyance, that she slept in the clothes she wore yesterday. Although she can't really blame herself or Laxus for missing the detail when they had more important matters to discuss.

Deciding that a warm comforting bath is order, Lucy runs some hot water in the tub before stripping out of her clothes. She dips her toe into the pool of water and finds her herself shivering in delight at the perfect temperature. She takes her time as she lathers her body and hair in soap and shampoo. Steam bleeds off the water and fogs up the mirror as Lucy relaxes in the bathwater. Whatever stress she had fades as the warm water relaxes her muscles and hydrates her skin.

The thought passes through her mind that she needs to send a message to Murphy. Lucy doesn't know how long she resided there but the bathwater has begun to turn cold by the time she drains the tub.

Feeling much better, Lucy brushes her hair and dresses in a tank top and shorts before calling out Virgo. She tells the pink-haired maid to deliver a message to the farmer saying that her and Laxus might not make it today. Virgo bows her head and poofs into a golden cloud as she leaves the blonde alone. Lucy heaves a sigh before walking to the kitchen to make some breakfast.

Laxus wakes up to the smell of bacon. He squints his eyes as he tries to adjust his vision to the bright morning sun filtering in through the curtains. As he tries to roll out of his bed, he groans in realization of how sore his entire being feels. Almost like he got run over by a literal freight train during the night. But along with being tired and worn out, he feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of his chest. A deep regret that carried loneliness and sadness everywhere he went is gone and now he feels…free. An unknown emotion floats around in his chest and purrs in satisfaction when another waft of Lucy's delicious cooking drifts into his room.

Heaving his self out of bed, he pulls on some sleeping shorts over his boxer briefs before steeping out into the living room. The scent of food is much stronger the closer he approaches the kitchen. He is greeted with the sight of Lucy flipping pancakes with a spatula with plates of bacon, fruit, and more pancakes beside her as he looks inside the kitchen.

The same purring feeling from before tickles the inside of his chest as he takes a long thoughtful review of the woman. Everything about her seems completely normal. Her hair, her clothes, the way she flips the pancakes, the way she shifts her weight from foot to foot, and how she hums when she's happy; it's all the same. As if nothing between them has changed. He can't help but wonder if this is a bad or good thing.

Bad because maybe she doesn't remember anything about last night. That maybe some stray lightning fried a piece of her brain and gave her permanent damage. Or maybe she changed her mind about her decision about being partners and she is trying to act like their conversation last night never happened. If she did that he might be tempted to electrocute her for making him feel like a complete idiot for letting her glimpse into his vulnerabilities.

On the other hand, it could be a good thing. Maybe the fact that they have officially established becoming partners doesn't change their relationship. They had a casual friendship before last night and he is worried that whatever they have now will be different than before. He enjoyed the simple dynamic that existed between the two that they gained over the three months that they did paperwork together. Now that he is more invested in their partnership, he thought that maybe she would change. That she would become a different person overnight. But looking at the blonde woman now, a part of him feels relieved to see that this is the same old Lucy.

Lucy hears heavy footsteps pad across the living room floor and stop at the entrance to the kitchen. She looks over to see Laxus staring at her with a studious gaze. The blonde male is dressed only in some sleep shorts so his chiseled chest, sculpted arms, and the swirling black tattoo that covers the left side of his abdomen are available for the petite female to observe.

This is not the first time she has seen him without a shirt, there have been plenty of times that he slept on her couch because they pulled a late-nighter doing paperwork. Every time after one of those nights, she would wake up to find him eating some sort of breakfast item while sitting at her table without a shirt. In all honesty she was incredibly bashful the first few times she saw him in close parameters. As a woman she can't deny that Laxus is indeed attractive with a near perfect body. But after the fifth time, she's become more used to his naked chest. It's just when Natsu ran around in his vest and scarf from day to day.

When Laxus doesn't notice her looking at him, she looks behind her as if she will magically discover what he is thinking so hard about but finds nothing of interest. A light blush creeps across her cheeks as she starts to feel sheepish under his firm gaze. "What is it?" she questions the man.

He doesn't answer her straight away and continues to stare openly at her in thought.

Concern starts to fill her chest and she tilts her head at him. "Are you okay?" she asks worriedly. Maybe he is still upset from the previous night.

Her inquiry registers in Laxus' ears and he blinks in a start. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay," he coughs as he tries to cover up his absentmindedness.

"Are you sure?" she presses him as she lifts her eyebrows.

He tsks at her before moving more closely to her. "How are you feeling?" he asks with a straight face. The last thing he wants right now is for her to overwork herself and have a heart attack or something.

Lucy gives him a small smile before turning back to her pancakes. "I feel fine. Tired but fine," she replies with a flip of the final pancake. "What about you?"

"Same," he grunts in a response.

A warm smile spreads across her lips as she slides the pancake on top of the rest and hands the plate to Laxus. "Can you please put these on the coffee table, _partner_?" she emphasizes the last word with an underlying tone of happiness and excitement.

It doesn't go unnoticed by the taller blonde and he can't help but smile down at the woman. That one sentence lays to rest all of his worries and fears about whether or not he made the right decision last night. "Sure, _partner_ ," he replies with a content tone of his own as he takes the plate. The voice inside of his chest hums in happiness at the word.

Lucy gives him one of the biggest and brightest smiles he has ever seen before quickly spinning around and grabbing the other plates and bowls filled with fruit, toast, bacon, sausages, and eggs.

They make their way to the living room and have breakfast together on the couch. Lucy mentions offhandedly that she sent Virgo to town to let everyone know they might not be coming onto town today. Laxus nods while frowning and tells her that he agrees. They went through a lot yesterday and need to get some rest. Lucy agrees without much argument. If it was up to her, she would sleep for a whole week.

Lucy and Laxus spend the rest of the day relaxing in peaceful, comfortable, companionable tranquility. Lucy reads some of the books that are scattered around the house in the armchair while Laxus listens to his music on the couch.

* * *

The bright afternoon sun warms the crisp air the next day. The birds sing their beautiful melodic choruses as the fly around in the warm sunshine. Small animals play and forage for food in the perfect weather.

Lucy sighs as she drops her book to her lap. Her foot doesn't stop its unconscious rocking as she swings back in forth. She is sitting on the front porch swing wearing a tank top, short shorts, and no shoes as she enjoys the peaceful atmosphere. Or at least she is trying to.

The argument she had earlier is at the forefront of her mind and no matter how hard she tries to concentrate on her book, she can't seem to focus. She understands that he is being protective of her because of her health and everything but he didn't need to go this far. She could have at least gone with him to town for pete's sake! Just sitting here makes her feel like he is doing all of the work and that's not what she wanted when they agreed to become partners.

Although…seeing him being all caring and protective makes her heart swell with joy. That's the reason she can't be mad for wanting to take care of her like this. Even if it is indirect. The memory of the argument arises again and she remembers it like it happened a few hours ago. Actually it did.

" _Laxus! You can't do this to me!" Lucy declares as she stomps her foot on the porch._

" _Yes, I can," Laxus says simply and in a stern voice. His arms are crossed over his broad chest to cement his opinion on the matter._

 _Lucy's cheeks puff out in irritation and she has to rein in her urge to pound her tiny fists against the unmovable wall that is also known as his chest. Knowing her luck, her fist will probably bounce off of him and hit her in the eye somehow. That doesn't stop her from standing up for herself though._

" _I feel fine! You're worrying too much! I can come and help with the lightning!" she insists._

 _Laxus glares down at the petite woman while not moving a muscle. He is not backing down, not with this. "No. You need to let your heart rest so you can't do anything strenuous. You are going to stay here and recover. I can manage one day without you," he states in a flat tone._

" _Laxus…"she whines, "Come on. Please?"_

 _A victorious smirk spreads across his lips as he knows he has won when she has to resort to groveling. He gently grabs Lucy by her upper arm as she yelps in surprise and drags her to the swing. With just enough force to push her backwards, he shoves her onto the swing. The wood creaks under the sudden pressure but holds the celestial mage as it slightly moves backwards. Before she has any time to object or question his methods he throws one of her books toward her face._

 _More due to her reflexes than actual thought, Lucy catches the book an inch away from the tip of her nose. Feeling her ire heighten to new levels for throwing one of her precious novels, she stands up to yell at the rude, cruel, uncivilized man but the defeating rumbling of a thunder clap drowns out her voice as Laxus leaves in the blink of an eye. Lucy gapes in shock at the audacity of her partner._

" _Oh!" Lucy huffs as she plops down in the swing. That man can be so difficult! She picks up her book, albeit very reluctantly, and opens it up to the first page._

A soft sigh slips past Lucy's lips as she tries to resume her reading. In the past three hours that he has been gone she has read almost twenty pages. Pretty pathetic for a girl who once finished eight-hundred pages in ten hours. Without a pair of galeforce reading glasses too, might she add.

She has been so distracted that she has read this same sentence for the fifth time now.

Lucy contemplates on the idea of going inside and fixing some lunch. She is getting kinda hungry so it's not totally out of the question. She sets her book aside and as she is rising from the swing she sees a small bright light shine through the forest greenery.

"Huh?" she mumbles as she furrows her eyebrows in confusion. _Was that lightning?_ She wonders to herself. She refuses to lift her gaze from the spot as she waits with bated breath.

Another small burst of light shines thought in the exact same place. Lucy exhales the breath she was holding and bursts into a sprint. She leaps off the porch in her bare feet to land on the soft grass. Moving as fast as her feet will carry her, she heads toward the small section of the forest where the small burst of electricity buzz through the bushes and leaves.

She continues to run over rocks, leaves, plants, and pieces of wood until she halts behind a pine tree about ten feet away from where the lightning occurred. She peeps out from behind the thick truck to see who is causing all of these problems.

"What the?" she wonders as her eyes scrunch together in wonder.

Back at the house a couple of hours later, Laxus returns with a resounding boom of thunder. He left to go to town to check out the land near the famer's houses again. He didn't want to bring Lucy because he wants to make sure that her heart is healthy. Call him paranoid or overprotective but he would rather have a living partner than a dead one. Murphy and Marilou asked why they didn't show up yesterday, to which he quickly changed the subject to the lightning burst. There is no way that he is going to tell the older couple what went down between them. The small voice inside of his chest whimpers at the thought of how he hurt her but he pushes it aside as he concentrates on the job. Murphy and Marilou don't seem to notice his uncomfortableness as they happily say they haven't seen anything since the last time him and Lucy were there. Laxus gave them a nod before heading into the line of trees to see if anything new has come up while him an Lucy were gone. Finding nothing after four hours of searching, he headed into town to buy a new doorknob for the cabin before returning to check on Lucy.

He is half expecting to see his new partner right where he left her; in the swing on the front porch reading her book, so to _not_ see her in that particular position slightly surprises him. The second thing he notices is that there is a trail of dirt leading up the stairs and into the house.

Hoping that she is inside doing something that will not put too much stress on her heart, his wish for her to rest poofs into the air when he sees her running toward him from out of the forest bare footed. That voice in his chest growls in anger and irritation at seeing the celestial mage not taking care of herself the way she was instructed.

"Laxus!" she yells as she skids to a stop in front of him. A small book, not her novel, is clenched in her hand.

He scowls down at her and crosses his arms over his chest. "What the hell do you think you-"

"I know what is causing the lightning!" she interjects eagerly. She bounces on the heels of her feet as the adrenaline of her sprint home courses through her veins.

"You do?" he asks as his face drops into one of surprise.

Lucy nods her head vigorously before grabbing his wrist. She tries to yank the massive man forward but only succeeds in jerking herself backwards. Quickly regaining her footing she grabs his wrist with both hands and pulls with all of her strength. All this accomplishes however is her making greatly exaggerated movements to attempt to forcefully pull him along.

"Laxus, come on! We're going to miss them!" she pleads.

"Them?" he asks with a frown.

"Yes! Now come on," she sharply jerks his wrist.

Finally giving into the woman's yearning, Laxus takes a few steps in the direction that she has been trying to pull him in. Lucy stumbles at first but soon leads her partner into the forest. They run for a few minutes until they arrive at the tree that Lucy hid behind for two hours.

Lucy motions silently for Laxus to be quiet and points around the tree. Laxus leans around Lucy to see what she is pointing at. What he sees makes his face scrunch up in confusion. "Foxes?" he says dumbly as he turns back toward his partner with a baffled expression.

In front of the blondes are three foxes playing on the forest floor. They have golden fur with white paws and long tails with white tips. Little squeaks and yelps of playtime echo in the forest as one fox tumbles over another while the other jumps toward the other two.

"Not just any kind of foxes, these are magical foxes!" Lucy answers excitedly in a whisper. She shoves the small book in front of Laxus' nose to show him her discovery.

The opened page in the book shows a picture of one of the foxes with a description next to it. Laxus reads the page to himself: _The Foudre Fox (Lightning Fox) is an endangered breed that lives along the border of Fiore in the Grey Mountains Forest region. Its fur is yellow while typically having white fur along its paws and tip of its tail. As with other species of foxes, the Foudre Fox are nocturnal animals but have been known to wonder the forest during the day. Their diet consists of meat, as they dine on birds, lizards, and other small animals. The special and unique trait of these creatures is that they contain magical energy. They build up Lightning Magic within their bodies and emit the magic when feeling threatened, during mating season, and teaching their young how to defend themselves. These creatures may be dangerous when in close proximity so please do not approach them unless you are a trained professional._

Laxus' eyes widen as he realizes what Lucy is trying to tell him. "You're fucking shitting me…" he grumbles under his breath. "The damn foxes are causing the problem?"

Lucy nods her head in one fluid motion in confirmation. "Think about it. Every time we searched the line of trees near the farmers houses for footprints all we could find are deer and fox paw prints. The farmers never saw anything because they were too scared and the foxes ran away into the forest. And of course none of the farmers ever saw anything at night because they were all asleep while the foxes were awake. It all makes sense!" Lucy explains in one breath.

"If the foxes are nocturnal than why would the lightning go off during the day?" he wonders out loud.

"How would you feel if someone came and destroyed your home while you were sleeping?" Lucy asks sarcastically as she deadpans at the tall man.

Laxus rolls his eyes up in thought before rolling his shoulders in a half shrug. Girl's got a point.

Satisfied with his silent agreement, Lucy puffs out her chest and clenches her fists in determination. "Now all we gotta do-"

"We?" Laxus asks skeptically and a half-hearted glare.

"Yes, _we_ ," she challenges him with a glare of her own, "are going to go to the farmers and tell them what we found. When they start cutting down trees we keep an eye out for any foxes. If lightning appears and a fox runs away then we have our proof!"

Laxus takes a long, hard look at the determined woman in front of him. Resigning himself to her will, he heaves a heavy sigh. "Alright but only if you rest for the remainder of the day," he attempts to bribe her into taking care of herself.

Lucy smiles up at the dragon slayer. "Deal," she says cheerfully.

They take one last look at the playing foxes before walking back to their cabin.

* * *

The following morning Laxus, and much to his reluctance, Lucy have breakfast with Murphy and Marilou before walking into the tree line.

Each of the farmers performs their respective task throughout the day until the first lightning burst occurs in the middle of the afternoon. Luckily, Lucy is near the area when it happens and immediately waits for a flash of golden fur to appear. As clear as day, she sees a yellow fox scurry out from under the roots of a tree before disappearing into the woods.

Elation rises in Lucy's heart as her theory is confirmed. Moments later Laxus arrives beside her and looks around at the scene. Lucy explains what she saw to her partner and points to the fresh paw prints on the ground. Laxus seems surprised that her idea is correct but notes that they need to see it happen again to make sure that this wasn't a freak coincidence.

They don't have to wait long because thirty minutes later, another burst erupts as a golden fox leaps out of its hole and prowls around the tree. A minute later she ducks back inside where Laxus can hear quiet murmurings. He figures that the fox is a vixen and she is trying to protect her pups. He tells Lucy about his thoughts and almost has to restrain her from helping the mother.

After deciding on their plan of action, Lucy and Laxus tell the farmers that the lightning is occurring because of the foxes.

Several farmers gasp in surprise while the others mummer in wonder of what they are going to do now. They don't want to hurt the foxes but they need more land for their crops.

Lucy offers to go talk to the mayor for them since her and Laxus have to report to him on their investigation anyway. Murphy and the others thank her for her kindness before giving the blondes directions to the city hall.

The mayor is beside himself when Lucy and Laxus deliver the news of what is really causing the lightning strikes. He is so upset that he has to call in his secretary to continue the meeting due to him not being able to forgive himself for not remembering the special ability of the foxes.

At the end of the discussion, the mayor (his secretary) decides that the farmers can continue to renovate the land for a few more feet then they must stop in order to preserve the fox's habitat. Satisfied with their decision, the woman pays the two blonde mages and bids them farewell. Lucy and Laxus come to an agreement that they will leave for Magnolia tomorrow as they have to gather their things as well as say goodbye to Murphy and Marilou.

On the journey back to their cabin, Lucy plans to cook the rest of the food in celebration of their completed job, new partnership, and the fact that they need to eat the food anyway.

She spends the next three hours making pasta, steak, salad, casseroles, and potatoes. Laxus offers to help but Lucy tells him to go rest. He thinks she is doing it to be nice but she is really doing it because she knows how horrible his cooking skills are.

In the end, they have a wonderful dinner as they discuss their schedule for tomorrow as well as how excited Lucy is to tell everyone about their newfound partnership.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want any more to eat?" Marilou asks again as she stands beside her husband.

"Yes, we're stuffed," Lucy half-moans as she puts a hand on her full stomach. She has had enough food in the past twelve hours to keep her fed for at least a week. Laxus nods his head in agreement.

"Thanks for everything you did around here, we all really appreciate it," Murphy says with a big smile

"We couldn't have done it without your help," Lucy responds with a bright smile of her own.

"Make sure you come back to visit sometime," Marilou urges as she hooks her arm around her husband's.

"We will," Lucy assures them with big nods. She waves goodbye at the middle-aged couple as her and Laxus walk to the train station.

The train ride across Fiore is long but peaceful. Even Laxus with his motion sickness is being unnaturally quiet. It was a peaceful journey for the two blondes.

Lucy realized on their second job's train ride that Laxus is indeed the lightning dragon slayer. Meaning that he gets motion sick just like Natsu did. He tried to pretend that he wasn't affected by the train by wearing his headphones and keeping his face turned away so she couldn't see how green his face had become. It didn't take long for her to figure it out though since she was so used to Natsu. That was also the first time she ever saw Laxus become so embarrassed that he refused to look at her for a prolonged period of time. It took an hour's worth of reassurance and a promise that she will not tell anyone about his little weakness that finally got him to glance in her direction. He wasn't happy that his secret got out but let it go when he saw how sincere the celestial mage was being toward him.

* * *

Both blondes arrive in Magnolia at three o'clock in the morning.

"Do you want to go by the memorial site in the morning?" Lucy asks Laxus once he has regained enough of his cognitive sense to understand her.

"The memorial site? Why would we go there?" he asks with raised eyebrows

"We agreed to go tell everyone about us being partners or have you already forgotten?" Lucy giggles behind her hand.

He suddenly remembers making that plan the night they sat and talked. He tsks at her and looks pointedly away from her before saying gruffly, "I'll see you at the statue at eleven."

Without another word he teleports home to get some non-motion sick sleep. Lucy shakes her head at the man before taking languid steps toward her studio apartment. She knows she should be tired but the thought of officially announcing her and Laxus' partnership tomorrow makes her giddy with excitement.

* * *

On her way to the memorial site the next morning, Lucy stops by the florist. A while back she found a book that listed off the different meanings for most flowers. At first she didn't think she would have much use for it but now she feels like she has found a reason to use that knowledge: creating the perfect bouquet for her lost friends to show how she is feeling.

The florist greets her happily as he asks if there is anything he could help her with. Lucy inquires if she can get a small bouquet of pear blossoms and daffodils. The man gives her a big nod and immediately begins to prepare her order.

By the time Lucy arrives at the memorial Laxus is facing away from her while staring at the statue.

"Hey," she says cheerfully as she walks up beside him.

He turns to look at her with a hum and spots the yellow and white flowers in her arms. "What's with the flowers?" he asks.

"What do you think?" she says sarcastically as she lays the flowers at the bottom of the fairy's feet. "The daffodils mean new beginnings and the pear blossoms means lasting friendship. I thought that the bouquet would be nice since we're about to give them the news," she explains as she stands beside him.

He hums in thought before turning back to the statue.

"Do you wanna do the honors or shall I?" she says excitedly.

"Go ahead," he gestures with a wave of his hand toward the fairy. This is important to her so he shouldn't take this away from her. Contrary to popular belief, he's not a complete asshole.

"Alright!" she declares as she faces the statue with joy.

"Hey everyone, it's been awhile," Lucy states in a much more calm tone than what Laxus was anticipating. "Sorry we haven't been by to keep you guys updated on everything. Laxus and I have been busy with jobs so we haven't really had the time to visit. That's actually why we're here. We wanted you guys to know that we are going to be partners. We talked about it and it's what we both want, right Laxus?" she asks as she turns to him.

"Yeah," he agrees.

"So there's nothing to worry about. We just decided that this is the best option for us. We aren't trying to replace you guys or anything, we would never do that. There will always be a place for you in our hearts. We will love you guys for the rest of our lives and will remember you forever." Lucy pauses as she tries to think of anything else that she wants to add. Nothing comes to mind so she turns to look up at her partner with a questioning look, "Is there anything you want to say?"

Laxus narrows his eyes at the stature. "Even if any of you bastards try to haunt me because of this, I will still remain partners with Lucy so get that through your thick ass skulls. But if you must know…." he sighs and he closes his eyes in a calm expression, "I swear I won't let anything happen to Lucy. You have my word. That's all I have to say."

Lucy gazes upwards at Laxus with a light pink blush. Hearing the man declare that he will protect her makes her heart swell and happiness sweep through her. It is as if he made any worries she had about him regretting his decision disappear.

"Anything else?" he wonders as he looks down at the celestial mage. She quickly turns her head away to hide her cheeks and shakes her head.

Lucy and Laxus stand in silence in front of the fairy for a long time. A gentle breeze blows over them before catching one of the pear blossoms and blowing it towards the sea. Lucy lets a small smile slide onto her face at the sight. In that moment she truly felt like their friends gave their blessings on their new partnership. A single happy tear rolls down her cheeks but she wipes it away before Laxus has a chance to see.

"Let's get going to the guild," Lucy announces with a deep breath. "We have to go tell Master how the job went after all," she says cheerfully as she smiles up at the blonde male.

Laxus studies the blonde woman for a moment before nodding his head. "Yeah, let's go," he smirks as he turns toward the dirt path. Lucy quickly falls by his side but glances over her shoulder to give her lost friends one more warm smile.

Lucy and Laxus reach the guild hall by midafternoon. It is as rowdy and loud as ever when they arrive and they are greeted with a chorus of 'welcome backs' and 'hellos'. The only odd scene is at a table near the bar where Jet and Droy are weeping over something.

They walk over to the bar where Macao is leaning against the wood with a beer stein in his hand and talking to Wakaba. "Hey Master, we're back," Lucy says happily as she waves at the purple-haired man. Laxus takes a seat on a barstool close to Lucy and orders a beer from Kinana.

"Hey Lucy, hey Laxus. How did the job go?" Macao replies as he turns away from Wakaba.

"It went better than expected," Lucy says as she gives Laxus a knowing grin. Laxus returns her smile with one of his typical smirks.

Macao raises one of his eyebrows in question. "What happened?"

"We're officially partners!" Lucy cheers as she pumps her fist in the air.

Macao's face drops into one of confusion. "Weren't you two already partners?" he says it like it was incredibly obvious.

"Yeah," Wakaba adds from behind Master.

"No, we weren't official but now we are," she states simply.

"Oh. Well in that case," Macao holds up his beer stein and has Wakaba join him. "Congratulations on the partnership!" they cheer merrily before chugging their respective drinks.

Lucy gives both men a warm smile and thanks them for their words. Kinana arrives with Laxus' beer and gives her own congratulations before scurrying off to fill more orders.

A crash to the side reveals Vijeeter and Nab standing beside the request board arguing about something that includes the words 'dancing', 'animal', 'style', and 'white tutu'. Lucy cringes at the thought of what in the world the two must be fighting about. Macao facepalms before sighing and dragging his feet to break up the two men.

"Hey Lucy. Hey Laxus," a cheerful voice says from behind the two blondes. They turn to see Max and Warren walking towards them with smiles on their faces.

"Hey Max, hey Warren. What's up?" Lucy replies happily.

"We overheard that you guys are a team now. Just wanted to say congratulations," Warren states.

Mild embarrassment flushes Lucy's cheeks. "T-Thanks you guys," she says bashfully. Laxus takes a casual drink of his beer as he grunts in gratitude.

Max opens his mouth to express his congratulations when a sharp wail from Jet interrupts him. It rings throughout the hall and everyone turns to look at the bawling duo in exasperation.

"What's going on with them?" Lucy asks as her eyebrows pinch together in concern. Laxus' attention is also drawn to the pair but he remains stoic.

Max and Warren sweatdrop as they deadpan at the two members of Shadow Gear. "You don't want to know," they moan simultaneously.

"Did something happen?" she asks as she ignores the pair's words.

"No, they're just being…overly dramatic today," Warren sighs.

"How come?" Lucy turns toward the black-haired man.

"Like we said, you don't want to know. It's completely ridiculous," Max sighs as well.

Lucy frowns at the two men and with a hmph strides over to Team Shadowgear's table. If those two won't tell her what's going on then she'll just go find out herself. Max and Warren call out for her to wait while Laxus watches his partner from the corner of his eye while sipping his beer.

"Hey guys," Lucy says somewhat gently as she approaches the orange-haired and black-haired men.

Jet and Droy stop their crying long enough to turn to look up at the celestial mage with big tear filled eyes. A moment later they burst out wailing as comical rivers of tears flow down their cheeks. Jet slams his head down onto the table while clutching a piece of fabric in his hands while Droy takes a chicken thigh in each hand and starts taking huge bites out of each one.

"What's the matter," Lucy asks hesitantly as she takes a half-step back from the duo in disgust and worry.

"Do you…know what…today is?" Jet asks between sobs.

Lucy blinks at him in confusion before cocking her head to the side. "Sunday?" she says it like it's a question rather than an answer.

"No!" Droy howls pathetically and spits food everywhere. He pops the entire chicken thigh in his mouth and pulls the bone out clean after his little outburst, tears still streaming down his face. _He really needs to stop stress eating,_ Lucy thinks as she sweatdrops at the plant mage.

"Today…is the anniversary…"a sobbing Jet chokes on the words as he holds out a headband to a very confused Lucy, "of when Levy…bought her first…headband!" he exclaims dramatically as he clings to the headband like a lifeline. Droy follows him shortly thereafter in the crying department.

Lucy deadpans at Team Shadowgear. _That's what these two are upset about? That's the stupidest thing I've heard in a while,_ Lucy thinks to herself. "Seriously guys?" she grumbles.

"No one understands!" Droy bellows as he reaches for a whole string of sausage.

Seeing that she has somehow made the whole situation worse, Lucy tries to remedy the two men's grief by trying a different tactic.

"U-uh…I'm sure Levy would be happy that you two remember such a…" Lucy pauses as she tries to imagine the right word for this weird situation, "… _important_ day." Hopefully the idea that Levy would be happy that they are thinking about her will get them to shut up.

Both men look up at her with wide eyes. Their tears somehow grow even larger before they throw themselves at Lucy's waist and cling to her. She squeaks in shock and surprise as the two men drench the fabric of her shirt with their tears.

After about ten seconds of their wailing into her stomach, a tick forms on her brow and Lucy begins to yell at the two idiots to get a grip while trying to shove their faces away. The words are heard by all of the occupants of the guild hall except the two sorrowful men in question and garner laughter from everyone. Even Laxus smirks at his partner whom is now flailing her arms around and threatening to Lucy Kick both males if they don't knock it off.

Jet and Droy don't listen to a single word that Lucy says and only cling harder to the one person who understands how much they miss Levy. Tired of their ridiculousness, Lucy yanks them off of her and slams her foot into their chests. The duo summersault and spin into the air while whining about feeling so alone in the world. Moments later they land head first into the wall on the other side of the guild. They slide down the wall with a look of exaggerated betrayal etched into their faces and a huge bump on their heads before promptly falling unconscious.

Lucy turns around with a huff and crosses her arms as the guild roars in laughter at the trio of mages. Nab is holding his side from laughing so hard, Vijeeter laughs as he holds a pose that looks like a mixture of a swan and a cat, Warren and Max clutch at each other's shoulders to steady themselves, Kinana giggles behind her hand, Macao shakes his head at the potential ruin to his guild, Romeo cheers for Lucy, and Laxus continues to hold that shit-eating smirk of his over his lips.

The laughter is only interrupted when the doors to the guild open to reveal a lone figure. Everyone halts in their hilarity to look at the newcomer. The figure steps forward to reveal a blonde man in a suit. Lucy's eyebrows shoot up into her hairline in surprise. She wasn't expecting to see him again so soon.

"Dad?" Lucy says in astonishment.


	9. Chapter 9

**Alright before we begin, I want to clear up a question. I have been asked if this story will be doing the whole seven year time skip that occurred in the canon and the answer is no, no it will not. Obviously there will be some time skipping of a few days or months because I have to squeeze in seven years, else this story would be unbelievably lengthy, but there will be no seven year skipping.**

 **I am so sorry that this is so late. Everything in my life has been a freaking free-for-all. My internship is ending and I have to find a new job, I'm moving into a new apartment, I have school five days a week, and my mom fractured her wrist and now cannot use her left arm so I have to manage the house work. Please, please excuse any tardiness on my part. I don't mean to keep you guys waiting for so long.**

 **So this chapter is extra, extra long. I'm talking a whole 17,000 words long. Yeah…I don't know what happened. It just kinda got away from me but then again I didn't really try to control myself. Alright fine, I didn't control myself at all. I hope this kinda makes up for the whole not updating in two months thing. If you hate the length, if you love the length, feel free to drop me a line.**

 **I also want to thank each and every one of you who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. I was whole heartedly blown away by the response. When I first wrote this, I had no idea that so many people would enjoy this story and I am so humbled by the amount of love that this story has gotten. Thank you all so much, I couldn't do it without all of you. I hope to have your continuous support and I would love if you let me know how I'm doing.**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

All eyes are on the blonde man in the middle of the entrance to the Fairy Tail guild hall. Jude remains composed as he shifts his eyes over the crowd searching for a very familiar head of blonde hair. He finds her standing near the center of the large building staring wide eyed at him.

Jude clears his throat as he fully steps forward to close the doors behind him. Lucy snaps out of her trance before slowly walking toward her father.

Almost everyone else notices that the newcomer is seeking the resident celestial mage and turns back to their own business. They only people paying attention to the two blondes are Laxus and Master Macao.

Lucy meets her father at the bottom of the steps that lead into the guild. "Uh, hey dad. What are you doing here?" she asks incredulously as she stands before her father.

"I came to see you," he states as he gives his daughter a small smile.

"O-oh of course, silly me," Lucy nervously laughs. Now that she thinks about it her question must have sounded pretty stupid. Why else would he come to the guild hall? "L-let's go somewhere more comfortable," she says as she moves toward the door.

"Actually," Jude stops Lucy, "I need to discuss the matters of a job I have with you so it might be more beneficially if we stayed here."

Lucy's eyebrows shoot into her hairline as she turns her face upwards toward her dad. "A job? For me?" she asks in surprise. Well this is unexpected.

"In that case," a male voice says behind Lucy. Lucy spins her head around to see Master standing a few feet away from her side. "Let's discuss this in my office. I'm the Master of Fairy Tail, Macao Conbolt," Macao smiles as he holds out his hand to Jude.

"Jude Heartfilia. I'm Lucy's father," Jude replies as he firmly grips Macao's hand. Lucy smiles briefly at Macao when he glances at her.

"Please follow me," Master says as he toward the stairs. He waves for Laxus to follow as he passes by the bar. Jude side eyes Laxus as he follows the purple-haired man. Laxus falls into step behind Lucy as she follows her dad up the stairs.

All three blondes get settled into Macao's office. Macao sits behind his desk, Jude and Lucy sit in the two chairs on the other side of the desk, and Laxus leans against the bookcase to right of Lucy.

"Now," Macao says as he interlinks his finger together on the desk, "what is this job you are here for Mr. Heartfilia?"

Jude looks between the three wizards before clearing his throat. "I have recently received a promotion at the Love and Lucky Guild where I am employed," Jude starts. "As my first assignment, I have been assigned the task of estimating the cost of a list of different artifacts from all over Fiore and their relocation. My manager thought it would be a good idea if some mages were hired in order to ensure that no problems happen to the cargo and shipments. Since Lucy is a part of a mage guild I thought I might extend the invitation to Fairy Tail first."

"Well that was very considerate of you," Master says cheerfully. Lucy agrees fully as she nods her head while smiling. "Just so I completely understand what you are saying, you want to hire Lucy to protect some artifacts that you are moving from one place to another. Is that right?"

Jude gives a strong nod. "Yes, that is correct."

"And how long will this job take exactly?" Master asks as he sits back in his chair.

"I'm estimating that the whole job should last for about two and a half months," Jude replies.

"Two and a half months? Why so long?" Lucy asks curiously.

"I have been told that I will need to visit six archeological sites," Jude's eyes shift anxiously between Lucy and the master of Fairy Tail. "There will be multiple artifacts at each location and with traveling time, it should take around two and half months."

"Okay, that makes sense," Lucy smiles slightly.

"You'll be paid two-hundred thousand jewel a month as well as having your food, accommodations, and traveling expenses covered," Jude continues as he watches his daughter with a careful eye. He really is trying his best here.

Lucy's eyes sparkle at her dad's words. "Really?!"

Jude chuckles Lucy's reaction. "That's right. Does that mean you'll take the job?"

Lucy grasps her chin as she carefully considers the offer. It really is quite the job. She will be able to pay her entire month's rent for almost six months as well as getting to see all across Fiore for free. This is just the thing that she has been needing. One little detail keeps bugging her though. "Can Laxus come?" she finally asks hesitantly after a few minutes.

Jude's face partly falls at Lucy's question. He was hoping that he wouldn't have to include the other blonde but if he will if he must. "Of course, Laxus is also welcome to come," Jude meagerly smiles as his eyes fill with slight disappointment.

He seems to have made the right decision to include Laxus because Lucy's face goes from apprehensive to happy in a split second.

"Great!" Lucy cheers with a bright smile. "Then we'll take it! Right Laxus?"

Laxus merely grunts apathetically.

"Don't get too excited there," Lucy says sarcastically as she deadpans at the dragon slayer. She turns back toward her dad and the smile returns to her face. Lucy begins to shoot off technical questions, such as when they are leaving and where they are going first, in her excitement.

None of the blondes see the cringe on Macao's face.

"Um, Lucy?" Master hesitantly calls on the excited petite blonde. "I hate to burst your bubble but Laxus won't be able to go."

"What? Why not?" Lucy asks slightly offended as her face whips around to look surprised at Macao.

Macao sighs tiredly as he wipes a hand over his face. "I have two S-Class jobs that need immediate attention and since Laxus is our only S-class wizard I have no choice but to assign them to him," he explains as he gives Lucy an apologetic look.

"Oh…I see," Lucy sighs sadly as her shoulders slump in dejection.

"Will that be a problem?" Jude asks worriedly.

"Um, well…" Lucy glances at her father through her eyelashes.

It's not that she has a problem with the job itself. It's just…her and Laxus just became partners, their partnership is brand new and still very fragile. Now all of the sudden they will be separated for two and half months and she is afraid that the distance will put a strain on their friendship, one that won't be able to be fixed.

Jude sits in silence as he watches his daughter struggle with her decision. He can feel more and more sadness seep into his soul with every passing moment. This job is supposed to be a way that he and his daughter could start to get to know one another again. Seeing her honestly debate on whether she would choose to be with her father or another man, slightly breaks his heart.

Laxus opens his eyes to stare at the other blonde man in the room. When Laxus heard the shift in Jude's tone when Lucy asked about him joining the job, he thought that Jude is still worried about his and Lucy's relationship but seeing Jude side eye at Lucy briefly every few seconds makes him reconsider his thoughts. It seemed to Laxus that it is not that Jude has a problem with him joining the job so long as Lucy accepts the job. If that's the case then the older blonde man probably just wants to spend some time with his daughter. To bond with her and stuff like that. His suspicions are only confirmed as he watches Jude's face fill with anxiety and sadness at the thought of not having Lucy join him for his journey.

Since that is the true reason for this visit, Laxus can't help but feel like the third wheel. Not to mention, the idea of bonding with a family that isn't his makes him internally cringe. His lack of tact and overuse of crude language doesn't exactly scream "family man". That is why Laxus knows that when it comes to familial bonding, he should be nowhere in fucking premises. The only person that he would hate spending time with more than some stranger is his own father. And that shit ain't happening, not if he has anything to do with it.

"Take the job Lucy," Laxus gruffly speaks.

All three of the room's occupants turn to look startled at the tall blonde man.

"Laxus?" Lucy breathes as her eyebrows furrow together in concern.

Laxus sighs as he straightens up. "There's a job that you are being personally requested for so you should go do it. It'll look bad for the guild if you don't. Same thing goes for me. If that means that we have to split up then we have to split up. It's just the way it goes." Despite the strength in his voice, a strange feeling emerges in his chest that feels like a mixture of reluctance and uneasiness.

Lucy looks at him worriedly. "But our partnership…"

"Will stay the same," Laxus interrupts her with a curt snap of his voice. Under no circumstances will he allow her to think that anything will change between them just because of a single fucking job. He worked separate jobs from the Thunder Legion all the time and those three were attached to his hip. "You just worry about your shit and I'll worry about mine. We can take a job together once you get back."

Lucy nibbles on her bottom lip as she looks for any sign of insincerity. Finding none, she heaves a heavy sigh before turning to look at her father. "Alright, I'll take the job," she says with a small smile.

The anxiety in Jude's chest lifts away into nothing. He returns Lucy's smile with a gentle one of his own. Despite his brusque demeanor and harsh tone, Laxus' words reveal that he is possibly a kinder and more caring person underneath.

"Now that that is settled, you can fill out this form," Macao slips a piece of paper and a pen on the desk in front of Jude, "to put in the official request. Lucy will sign it afterwards and you'll be all set."

Jude briefly nods as he picks up the pen and begins to fill out the details of the job. Meanwhile, the master tells Laxus that he will need to speak with him about the S-Class jobs once Lucy and Jude leave the room.

Fifteen minutes later, Jude shakes Macao's hand in thanks. Lucy has been assigned the task of protecting the cargo and shipments bought by the Love and Lucky Guild during their artifact research. She will be catching a train to Hargeon in the morning where she will meet up with Jude at the docks to embark on a ship.

Jude opens the door for his daughter as the two blondes leave Laxus and the master alone so they can discuss the lightning slayer's jobs. She thanks him and leads him downstairs to the front doors. As she opens her mouth to bid him goodbye, a sharp wail from the center of the guild grabs their attention. Lucy deadpans while Jude's eyebrows furrow in confusion at the sight.

Back at their table, Jet and Droy sob manically over the blue headband. Everyone around them either looks put out, irritated, or concerned over the two's continuous behavior.

"Are they alright?" Jude asks his daughter curiously as he gestures to the two teenagers.

Lucy heaves a heavy sigh as she turns her face toward her father. "Yeah, they're fine. They're just being dramatic," she replies. Guilt fills her chest at the sight and the memory of how she treated them earlier comes to the forefront of her mind. Maybe she should have been more patient with them…

"Do you want to have dinner tonight?" Lucy asks with a small smile.

"I would love to," Jude replies sincerely. "Let's go back to the place we ate last time. I have really been wanting some more of that mackerel."

"Sounds good," Lucy giggles. She waves goodbye to her father as he leaves the Fairy Tail guild hall. Inhaling a deep breath through her nose for confidence, Lucy turns on her heel and marches over to Shadow Gear's table.

An hour later, Laxus and Macao reappear walking down the stairs. Laxus has been briefed on his jobs and will be leaving tomorrow as well. He'll take the second job straight after the first due to the first job not being that difficult. That annoying feeling of uneasiness rises in his chest again and for some strange reason, Laxus feels the need to find his new partner.

Once his eyes land on the subject of his thoughts, a smirk spreads over his lips.

Right in the center of the guild, sits a smiling Lucy with Jet and Droy hugging either side of her body. Their sobbing from earlier has quitted down to a few faint whimpers. They tell Lucy how grateful they are for giving them hope again. Lucy smiles at the orange-haired and black-haired men in agreement which only makes the two members of Shadow Gear tighten their hold on the celestial wizard. Every other member watches the trio with glints of bittersweet happiness in their eyes.

Laxus walks over to the bar to take a seat and orders a beer. While he waits, Kinana updates him on what has been happening in the past hour. Apparently, Lucy wanted to make up how she acted earlier towards the members of Shadow Gear so she went over to their table to try comforting them again. Needless to say Jet and Droy kinda freaked out and almost ran away in fear but with a firm grip on their collars Lucy forced them to remain in their seats.

Once she was sure they weren't going to run away, Lucy calmly told the two how she misses Levy also. How no one could ever replace the book-loving caring girl that they all came to know and love. That there were times in the day or whenever she passed a book store that she would think about Levy's kind personality and how happy she would be if she were alive. She then went on to tell them that even though Levy is gone, they are still here and they can honor her memory by living for her. No more crying, no more feeling sad. Levy would want them to be happy so they should move forward with their lives. Jet and Droy stared wide-eyed at her for most of the story before nodding and grabbing ahold of the blonde woman.

Laxus listened silently to Kinana's story. At the end he glanced over his shoulder at his fellow blonde. By some miracle she has managed to stand up and is now currently trying to convince Jet and Droy to relinquish their hold on her.

The feeling in his chest purrs in bliss as he stares at her. She really is a good, kind person. It amazes him that someone like her would want anything to do with a person like him. He begins to feel a slight tinge of jealously as he watches the two other males refuse to let go of his partner but he turns back toward the bar to push those emotions aside.

After thirty whole minutes, Lucy walks over and sits beside him at the bar. She asks him about his jobs and tells him her plan for having dinner that night with her dad.

* * *

Early the next morning, Lucy walks into the guild hall for her breakfast. She wanted to stop by to get something to eat as well as say goodbye to everyone before getting on the train.

At the bar, Macao is standing with his arms crossed in front of the three mages that opposed Laxus' reinitiation into the guild. As Lucy slowly approaches the small group she can hear the three wizards' hushed angry voices overlaying one another.

"You are out of your mind!" the woman spits.

"What are we going to do exactly when he does turn against us?" the man on the right demands harshly.

"This was not a part of the agreement!" the man on the left yells.

Lucy cocks her head in wonder at what the three are talking about.

"Like I was saying before, it has been three months since Laxus has been back and he hasn't caused any problems for anyone. That's why I am allowing him to go," Master says in the sternest voice he can muster. Which isn't saying very much. Laxus can do a whole of a hell lot better in his sleep.

"And once he comes back he is probably going to get back on his high horse and remark how we're all ' _pathetic weaklings_ '," the woman mocks as she does the air quotations.

Realizing what the subject is, Lucy feels her irritation rise.

"Look, I have to let him have some freedom at some point. There are S-Class jobs that need to be done and he _will_ be leaving to go do them. No exceptions," Macao declares with a swipe of his hand.

Pure rage crosses each of the three mage's faces.

"Fine! But we won't be here when you all eat your own words!" one of the men yells. He puts a hand over his guild mark on his shoulder and with some magic, wipes away his guild mark. The other man and the woman quickly follow the first man's lead and wipe away their own marks.

Macao and Lucy's jaws drop open at the sight. They both knew that the three mages between them held deep reservations about Laxus but neither of them ever expected the three mages to feel strongly enough to actually leave the guild.

With three strong "humphs", the three ex-mages sharply turn to march out of the guild hall. They stop in their tracks once they come face to face with a gawking Lucy. All three of them sneer at the celestial mage before stomping past her. The guild doors slam shut and leave a dense silence in their wake.

Macao heaves a heavy sigh as he runs a hand down his face. Lucy turns to look at him in concern.

"Don't worry about it," Macao sighs again as he plops down on the barstool. "Those three have been giving me nothing but a headache ever since I let Laxus back into the guild."

"But still…" Lucy whispers as she raises her hand to her chest. Guilt has begun to seep into her heart. Did they really leave because of Laxus? Was she to blame? She was the one to argue against them after all.

Macao gives her a questioning look before realization strikes him. He walks over and puts his hands on her shoulders. "Like I said, don't worry about it. If they really wanted to stay in the guild they would have. What's done is done," he insists with a calm voice.

Lucy worries her bottom lip for a moment before sighing and nodding her head. Master's right. She can't hold herself responsible for their decisions.

"What are you two doing?" a gruff voice sounds from behind Lucy.

Lucy and Macao look up to see a frowning Laxus watching them curiously. He is holding his satchel over his shoulder with one hand and the other in his pants pocket.

"Oh nothing. Guild stuff," Macao gives him a simple smile as he crosses his arms.

Laxus' eyes slightly narrow at the older man. What is he hiding?

"I wanted to come say goodbye before I left for the train station," Lucy injects and changes the subject.

Laxus turns his stern gaze toward his partner. She smiles up at him innocently and he grunts in dismissal. "When does your train leave?" he asks.

Lucy glances at the clock behind the bar to see that it's about a quarter till 6. "I've got about thirty minutes. When do you leave?" she asks as she eyes the bag slung over his shoulder.

"Right now. Had to come give Macao the heads up," he responds stoically.

"Oh, right. Well, have a safe trip then," Lucy says with a hint of sadness. A part of her is sad that she can't go with him but she knows that they need to take care of their own problems right now.

Laxus grunts at her before doing the same thing to Macao and turning to walk out the guild doors.

Before he leaves though, he stops and turns to look over his shoulder. "Hey Lucy?" Laxus' voice filters back.

"Yeah?" she wonders.

His eyes soften in understanding and reassurance as he gazes at his partner. "Just remember that a family isn't always about blood ties," he says gently.

Lucy blinks in surprise at his cryptic words. Understanding floods her mind and she can't stop the small pink blush that rises to her cheeks as she tenderly smiles at the hulking man. "Thanks Laxus, I'll remember that," she says appreciatively.

He gives her a small nod before turning back toward the street and flashing off in a streak of light and a boom of thunder.

"Yeah Lucy," Master agrees with his only S-Class wizard, "you'll always have a family in us."

Lucy gives him a quick glance before staring at the ground in meek embarrassment. "Thanks Master," she whispers.

"No problem. Better go say goodbye before your train leaves," he laughs happily.

Lucy lifts her head and gives him a bright smile. Lucy stops by the bar and bids Kinana farewell. The purple-haired bartender cheerfully tells Lucy that she will have a strawberry smoothie waiting for her when she gets back. Lucy gives her a broad smile and thanks the kind woman.

She is about to leave the bar when Romeo runs over to her from the request board.

"Hey Lucy, are you leaving?" he asks with a grin.

Lucy gives him a small smile as she nods. "Yep, I got a train to catch."

"Alright. I'll see you when you get back!" he declares with a fist pump.

"It's a promise," Lucy swears as she gives him a wink.

"You make sure to keep in touch now ya hear?" Biska says as she walks up behind Romeo.

"Yeah, we gotta keep a lookout for everyone," Alzack agrees with his girlfriend.

Lucy gives them a big nod of approval. "Sure thing guys. You don't have to worry about me!"

The three give her smiles of their own before walking to the bar to turn in the request they picked out.

As she leaves the guild, Lucy waves goodbye to everyone one last time. Bright sunshine hits her face as she turns toward the direction of the train station. She breathes in a big breath of fresh air in preparation for her job. Once she reaches the train station, she will take the train to Hargeon where she will meet her father at the seaside port. For the next two and half months, be it a disaster or a success, she will move forward in her relationship with her dad. It's just like Laxus said, either way she will come back to her family in Fairy Tail.

* * *

A week passes for the Fairy Tail guild's beloved celestial mage.

She is currently riding in a carriage with her father on her way to the location of a library. Apparently, a library is where all of the artifacts from the other locations are going to be relocated to for permanent storage. Needless to say, the hopeful author is giddy to see any sort of library.

The job has been uneventful but at the same time, very eventful. No bandits have tried attacking the cargo or stealing the shipments. Nothing has mysteriously gone missing or gotten lost in the transitions between vehicles. Everything has been smooth sailing in terms of job responsibilities. What has kept Lucy busy when she isn't overseeing the movement of everything is getting reacquainted with her father. Jude makes a point to include Lucy in almost everything that he is doing; anything from checking each artifact to filling out paperwork to accessing the value of each piece. He wants to spend as much time with her as possible before the job is complete and he couldn't think of a better way to do it.

At first Lucy found her father's actions a bit smothering and awkward. Yet as the days went by, Lucy realized that her dad is just trying to spend time with her and involve her in his life. The mere thought that he was attempting to involve her in his life so much made the spark of hoping to renew their relationship burn a little brighter in her chest. So what if she didn't really have a say in anything or if she was couldn't say much, she was doing her job and spending time with her dad. And that's what counts.

That's why they have spent nearly every waking moment together over the past week. They worked together, ate together, shopped together, and talked about a lot of different subjects. The only time that she did not see her father was when she went to sleep because she was required to bunk with the other females in the women's cabin.

Lucy learned that her dad loves traveling on ships and wishes to go on an around-the-world cruise someday. Of course he quickly invited her along too. Jude learned that Lucy is trying to become a novelist and that she likes to write on a variety of genres. Lucy even went so far as to introduce him to Plue. Other topics passed between the two and the atmosphere became less awkward with each passing day.

Beautiful green floral passes in the carriage window and allows Lucy to breathe in the fresh woodland scent. The canopy of leaves is so thick that barely any light passes through to shine on the forest floor. Thick ropes of vines string out between the branches to create an intricate web of foliage. The road they are traveling on is hardly a road but more a poorly etched path through the dense forest. Everything has a mystical air that pronounces how untouched all of the trees and landscape are from human influence.

Lucy and Jude have been discussing how every artifact will be organized once it reaches the library when Lucy catches the sight of something from the corner of her eye. She leans over to look out the window and her eyes widen at the sight.

Off to her right, towering above the trees stands an enormously tall black and gray building. The outside appears to swirl around as it extends all the way to the top.

"Wow…" Lucy breathes as she slightly gapes at the monstrosity. This is in no way what she had in mind when she thought of a library.

Lucy couldn't drag her eyes off of the building as the carriage got closer and closer. Soon enough the library was directly in front of them and the driver stops to let the passengers out.

The two blondes exit the carriage and immediate see a man waiting for them at what looks like the entrance to the strange building. The library is as an extremely tall, humongous, cylindrical tower, with a unique design of its outside walls appearing like a group of nested curves, with several brick outlines palatalized along the building. The library's entrance is a circular gate, designed as a one big circle in the center and three other circles on each side of the circle.

As they walk toward the new man Lucy can't help but marvel at her surroundings. Massive trees and vines have grown along the foundation to prove how long the building has been standing there. The green of the trees against the black of the building contrasts so dynamically but at the same time seem to complement each other. Despite the obvious evidence that people once crossed through this forest, everything seems so abandoned and forgotten. Yet that reason makes this structure _so_ much more breathtaking.

"You must be Jude Heartfilia," the man says as he gives a nod in welcoming. "My name is Jean-Luc Neville and I'm with the Archeological Society. Thank you for helping us with our research."

"It is my pleasure," Jude returns the nod with one of his own. "This is my daughter Lucy," Jude introduces the woman to his left.

The sound of her name jolts Lucy out of her sightseeing reverie. Her back straightens as she turns her attention to the man in front of her. "U-uh, it's nice to meet you," she yelps.

The archeologist gives her a small smile before nodding to her as well. "It's amazing, isn't it?" Mr. Neville asks as he turns his attention toward the building behind him.

Lucy blinks in surprise. A smile spreads over her lips as she bends her head back to look at the library's exterior. "Yeah, it's really something," she agrees wholeheartedly.

Jude faintly smiles at his daughter's relaxed face before tuning his gaze toward the front of the building as well.

"This ancient library holds information on every type of magic found in our world," Jean-Luc explains with great wonder as his eyes ghosts over the tall structure. "Everything from how magic works to the legends who once controlled them. We have coined it the Magic Library."

Lucy snaps her gaze away from the amazing building to look curiously at the man. "Every type?" she asks in hushed amazement.

"That's right," Mr. Neville responds proudly.

Both of Lucy's pupils dilate at the new information as she turns back toward the library. _Those who control the magic…_ she wonders to herself. Her eyebrows furrow as her thoughts turn toward her past friends.

The circling swirling door opens to reveal three other men in tan excavator outfits. They gesture for Jean-Luc to join them.

"Ah yes. If you both would follow me, I will show you what we have done with the artifacts so far," Mr. Neville says as he walks toward his colleagues.

Jude follows after the archeologist as Lucy stays rooted in her spot.

Not hearing any footsteps, Jude looks over his shoulder to see his daughter in deep contemplation. "Lucy? Are you alright?" he calls out to her in worry.

Lucy stirs from her thoughts to focus on her immediate surroundings. A smile spreads over her lips as she steps up to her father. "Yep, I'm great," she chirps happily.

Jude study's his daughter's face for a moment. He cannot help but sense the shift in the mood of the celestial mage. A moment ago she was lost in wonder and now…now a bright determination is burning in her eyes. As if there is a hidden goal that her heart, mind, and body all wish to accomplish. The aura makes a strong sense of pride fill his chest at how ambitious his daughter has become.

"Well come on, we don't want to keep everyone waiting!" Lucy cheers as she steps past her father to enter the building. The memory of her friends on Tenrou Island stirs within her again and Lucy's swears she will found out every ounce of information that she can.

* * *

Three weeks later, Laxus is dragging his feet through Magnolia. He finished a short job a couple of days ago and is on the way to his house. He is so fucking tired right now that he could practically fall over. Even the very thought of using his magic to transport home makes his head swirl. The stupid feeling in his chest bounces around and he can't help but growl at the sensation.

After walking a short distance through the East Forest he arrives at his home. Opening the door, Laxus sheds his coat from his broad shoulders and throws it onto the top of the coat rack. He haphazardly tosses his bag to the ground before treading slowly up the stairs.

As he enters his room, the thought of taking a shower crosses his mind as Laxus glances at his bathroom door. Exhaustion, however, sweeps through his bones and quickly destroys that idea. All his body wants to do right now is to lie down and sleep for a few days.

Of course he knows damn well that won't happen. He hasn't been able to get a solid five hours sleep in the past week. Not that he hasn't tried because trust him, he's tried. It always begins with him lying awake in bed for an hour or two before he falls asleep, only to wake up a few hours later for seemingly no reason what-so-ever. He attempts to go back to sleep only repeats the process once more.

Laxus strips down to his boxer briefs before falling face first into his mattress. A thick heavy sigh rolls past his lips as the memories of the past month lapse through his mind.

It all started when he left to go on those two S-Class jobs a month ago. He had this dull ache in his chest that grew as he got further away from the guild hall. Once he landed in the middle of Fiore at the job site, the feeling ceased and made Laxus pass it off as being part of the lightning teleportation.

The S-Class jobs went off without a hitch and were finished within a week and a half. As he prepared to return back to Magnolia, Laxus felt the weird sensation again. Except this time it made him feel happy, almost delighted to be going back home.

The feeling never ceased until he arrived back in the guild hall. Once he did arrive though he suddenly felt anxious as he looked around the guild hall. The renegade thought of not seeing Lucy there made the feeling plunge into an oversized knot of sadness. It caught him completely off guard and he unconsciously clenched at his shirt over his heart. The feeling went away as soon as it came and left a very confused Laxus standing in the guild hall doorway with his hand over his heart. He wondered if maybe he was getting sick and hallucinating or something.

The feeling never reappeared after that, instead Laxus began to feel tired. It was mainly due to how he couldn't go to sleep at night. All of his sleep is so incredible light that a pin dropping could wake him up. Plus, his sleeping schedule slowly deteriorated from eight hours to seven hours and then to five hours over the next two weeks.

There were a few times that he had a deep urge to contact his partner. Just to check up on her and make sure everything is going alright. But every time he thought about it, he would shove those thoughts down because he didn't want to seem like he was interfering in her life. Besides, one of the main points of her taking her job was to spend time with her dad and if he calls he could be interrupting. Despite how much he wanted to, he refused to contact the celestial mage.

Everyone in the guild had noticed how the lightning dragon slayer had started to change and a few even offered to get him some medicine. They could tell that something was wrong with the man but had no real idea about what was causing his ailments. He always turned them down and told them not to worry about him.

Laxus took a job the last few days in hopes that whatever is keeping him awake will magically go away if he gets out of town and works.

Of course, that didn't work.

Now he is the most tired he has felt in the past month and he has no idea why. Maybe there really is something wrong with him…

Heaving another heavy tired sigh, Laxus finally relents in his stubbornness and makes a plan to go see the doctor tomorrow. Maybe the doc will be able to tell him what's going on with him.

Exhausted from the activities of the day and his self-reflection, Laxus rolls over and falls into a light, fitful slumber.

* * *

On the west side of Fiore, in a city named Ubakuchi, stands a very pessimistic lightning dragon slayer in front of a short wide building. He is frowning at the sign that says Dr. Kian Francis, MD on the wooden door directly in front of him. The stupid words seem to taunt the blonde man and his scowl deepens even further.

Over the past two and half weeks, Laxus has been to four different doctors all across Fiore. It has been almost a month and a half since all of his health issues started and they, along with the worthless doctors, have grated his nerves down to the almost nothing.

The morning after he initially resigned himself to his fate, he went to Magnolia hospital. The physician there did the whole standard routine before delivering the news to Laxus that he was perfectly healthy. Laxus was dumbfounded. He spent over an hour debating with the man in the white coat that he was not, in fact, "healthy". Something must be causing his sleep deficiency and he wanted an answer. The doctor simply told Laxus that he might be suffering from stress due to overworking so he should rest as much as possible and to not do anything strenuous for at least a week in order for his body to recuperate.

Laxus wasn't exactly happy that he didn't get an exact answer to his sickness but he did as the doctor ordered and rested for a week. And by rested he means that he drank beer at the guild, listened to his music, and slept at his house. It's a pretty simple and normal routine for when he feels like he's coming down with something. It has always worked in the past and he expected to be over his "sleeping funk" soon enough.

Problem was…he didn't feel any better by the end of the week.

In fact he felt _worse_. His sleep time decreased from five hours to three hours so he then felt even more exhausted than before.

It completely baffled him. How does resting make a person go from feeling bad to feeling worse? That is when he decided that he needed a second opinion. He remembered Lucy talking about how excellent the doctor in Hargeon was when he helped her with her leg so he paid the guy a visit.

Sadly enough, the man couldn't find anything definitive. He did all of the routine examinations, only to come to the same conclusions as the Magnolia doctor: Laxus is perfectly fine. But the doctor didn't write Laxus completely off; he could tell something was wrong but the problem was just beyond his knowledge set. When Laxus told him about how tired he felt because of his lack of sleep the doctor recommended that Laxus go see a sleep specialist. He gave Laxus a personal recommendation of a female doctor on the west side of Fiore that he attended school with.

Taking the doctor's suggestion, Laxus went to see his third doctor a couple of days later. She was located in a multi-story building that had a multitude of rooms on each level. The woman in the white coat told him that he would need to check into the clinic and remain inside the building for a few days. This would allow her to observe his day-to-day routine and how his sleeping is effected so she can treat him properly. Laxus wasn't too pleased about that news but he begrudgingly accepted.

Over the next three days and three nights, Laxus was watched over by the doctor. The first day he was allowed to act normally while the other two days he had to follow the doctor's instructions of no drinking and no training. Needless to say he was in a particularly grumpy mood the second and third days. His sleep patterns didn't alter over his stay so the doctor witnessed the fitful nights Laxus has to suffer through.

At the end of his observation, the sleep specilist made a startling discovery.

Nothing. There is absolutely fucking nothing wrong with him…at least physically.

According to all of her tests and documentation, Laxus should be able to sleep like a baby. There are no abnormal patterns in his physical daily routine that could contribute to his sleep deficiency. That lead the female doctor to the only conclusion—that whatever is causing Laxus' ailments is not physical but rather something psychological. There is a distinct possibility that an unresolved issue lies in his subconscious and manifests itself when he sleeps.

It greatly surprised the blonde man. He never thought about that possibility. He quickly realized though that he is probably going to have to go see a new doctor with this new development. A wave of exhaustion and irritation seeped into his bones at the thought of seeing yet another doctor. He didn't want to see any more doctors, he was sick of doctors. All he wanted is to feel better and be able to sleep. Was that too much to ask?

Just like what he thought, the sleep specialist told that Laxus go see a psychologist. She gave the lightning slayer the information of the outpatient psychologist that is associated with the sleep clinic.

Laxus saw the guy the following day. It was not a pleasant experience.

Even at the best of times, Laxus is not a talkative person. Especially when he has to speak with strangers or about personal matters, gods forbid both at the same time. So to be in a small room with an elderly man who was asking prying questions about his past put Laxus on edge. Add how absolutely horrible he felt and the fact that he _really_ didn't want to be there only made Laxus feel utter contempt toward the older man. All of his defenses went up as every ounce of his being refused to open up to the man. He was in no mood to talk or doing anything for a matter-of-fact so Laxus had to force himself to remain in the room and answer the doctor's questions to the best of his uncommunicative ability. It took five hours for Laxus to finally give the poor psychologist enough information about himself that the doctor could make his diagnosis. The elderly man said that Laxus is most likely struggling with a form of trauma and, much to Laxus' chagrin, told him to go see a trauma specialist.

Which leads Laxus to his current position: staring at his-fifth-doctor-in-almost-three-weeks' door. Dr. Kian Francis is supposed to be the best trauma specialist in Fiore so Laxus naturally scheduled an appointment. No point in going to a less experienced doctor.

Deep down he hopes that this doctor might just be the one to finally be able to truly help him but he has his reservations that the man will just tell him to go see some other doctor somewhere across Fiore and this whole cycle while continue until he dies an old man plagued by insomnia.

After having his personal staring contest with the inanimate object, Laxus sighs deeply and opens the door to enter the psychologist's office.

Laxus doesn't have to wait long before he's called by the nurse to see the doctor. He walks into a medium-sized room with a middle aged man waiting in the middle of the room. The interior of the Dr. Francis' office is lush and professional with leather bound chairs and couch with a dark wood desk on one side of the room. At least it's better than the last doctor's office.

"Hello Mr. Dreyar, I'm Dr. Kian Francis. It's nice to meet you," the doctor smiles and outstretches his hand in welcome.

Laxus grunts in response and does not return the handshake. He is way too tired and sick to deal with any formalities. The last solid block of sleep he got was at the sleep specialist's clinic and that was for all of four hours. The most sleep he has had lately is short thirty minute naps throughout the day. A few days ago, along with the lack of sleep, he has begun to feel chest pains and his appetite has started to lessen. So all-in-all, Laxus feels pretty fucking horrible.

"Alright," Dr. Francis coughs as he retracts his hand and gestures to one of the chairs, "please have a seat and we'll begin."

The two men head to their respective seats. Laxus plops down onto one of the patient chairs and immediately crosses his arms and legs.

"Why don't we begin with your current state? How do you feel?" Dr Kian suggests as he slowly sits down in his chair.

Laxus' frown deepens as he has to resist the urge to outwardly groan in frustration. Of course the geezer would ask him for his information. The doc can't read the fucking piece of paper in front of him with all of his history in incredible detail or anything. No…that would be too fucking difficult…Fuck he's tired…

"I feel like shit," Laxus announces grouchily with an underlying tone of annoyance.

Dr. Kian faintly smiles before couching to cover it up. "More specifically please."

Laxus sighs as he closes his eyes. "I can't sleep. I have no idea why. Just a few days ago I realized that I'm not as hungry anymore too. No clue about that one either," he replies frankly.

"I see," Dr. Kian nods his head. He lifts up Laxus' medical records and looks over the documents. "When was the last time you had a full night's sleep?" the doctor asks as he puts the file down.

"About a month ago."

"And it has been steadily getting worse since then?"

"Yep."

Dr. Kian crosses his fingers and looks at Laxus thoughtfully. "Have there been any major changes in your life recently? New job? New relationship? Loss of a loved one? Anything of that nature."

Laxus shakes his head in silence. It's been over four months since the whole Tenrou incident so that doesn't really count as "recently".

"Hmmm," the doctor writes down a quick note on his notepad. "Have you experienced any sort of stress or dramatic occurrence recently?"

Laxus is about to shake his head again when an image that he never wanted to remember appears in the front of his mind. The picture of Lucy's lifeless body lying on the ground after he shocked her to death…

He remembers every detail: her dull pupil less eyes staring into the sky, paler complexion, parted pink lips, twitching nerves, golden hair blowing slightly in the breeze…her frozen heart…he recalls it like it happened yesterday. It's as if the imagery is burned into his mind for all of eternity.

This isn't the first time he has remembered the horrible picture. For the first week after the accident, randomly throughout the days the image would just pop up. There were even a couple of nights during the S-Class jobs that he would wake up from nightmares of not being able to revive her during that moment. That he truly killed her. At first it slightly worried him. What if it never went away? What if he was haunted for the rest of his life?

But then he remembered her smile. That broad, soul-lifting smile that spread across her face when they became partners. And as much as he despises it, a smile that he never would have seen if that horrible accident never took place. If he hadn't almost killed her, they never would have talked that night and they never would have begun to move forward from the loss of their teams. She is still his partner and she always will be.

Knowing that he wasn't alone, that she forgave him, and that he had a lot of time to make it up to her helped alleviate some of the guilt but not all of it. He knows that the guilt will never fully go away, just enough so he could move on with his life and not get bogged down by his own emotions.

The moment quickly flashes by however, and Laxus quickly discards the memory to the recesses of his mind as he faces the doctor with an apathetic gaze.

"No, nothing's happened," he states in a level voice.

Laxus' mask of indifference and normalcy slipped as the memory occurred and presented the doctor with a brief glance of Laxus' emotional exposure. The older man could instantly see that something has happened to the younger man.

Dr. Kian studies Laxus for a moment. "Laxus," Dr. Kian says softly but firmly. "Anything you say here is protected by doctor-patient privilege. There will be no judgment or persecution. Anything that is said will be regarded in only the most professional and understanding sense. I wish for you to understand that."

Laxus' eyes slightly widen at the doctor's words. He can feel his heart tremble and protest while his mind hesitates in its decision of opening up to the older man. He doesn't want to be vulnerable and admit that he almost killed someone but…it might be the only way he will be able to feel normal again.

"God dammit…" Laxus sighs under his breath and clenches his fists in frustration. He is _really_ not in the mood to do this.

A pregnant silence fills the room as Laxus decides on where to begin. Dr. Kian waits patiently for his patient to organize his thoughts. Laxus heaves another heavy sigh as he sits forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"It was about a month and a half ago," he starts reluctantly. "Another member of my guild and I were on a job together. During the job I…accidently hurt her. I thought I killed her at first but I resuscitated her so she's alive. She's perfectly fine now. Sometimes I remember how she looked when I thought she was dead. That's all."

"And how does the memory make you feel?" Dr. Kian asks inquisitively.

Laxus scowls at the man. _Oh fuck, here we go with the emotional evaluation bullshit…_ "Guilt mainly. It's a hell of a lot less that I originally felt though."

"And why is that?"

"We talked and figured our shit out," Laxus replies bluntly. No need to go into details. That's between him and Lucy. Not to mention that he hardly has the energy to delve that deep.

Dr. Kian nods as he writes another note. "Do you ever have nightmares of hurting your guildmate?" he says as he turns back toward Laxus.

"Not recently. A few times at first but nothing lately."

The psychologist hums and writes down another note. "Is this guildmate a close friend? Or more of an acquaintance?"

"She's my partner."

"Girlfriend? Wife?" Kian asks curiously.

Laxus scowls and furrows his eyebrows in irritancy. "No," he says boldly. "She's my guild partner."

Dr. Kian nods and writes another note.

The two men continue their conversation for two more hours. Dr. Kian asks a variety of questions on all subjects while Laxus does his best to answer each one without snapping at the man for being so damn nosey. Everything from what exactly happened to Lucy to Laxus' eating habits was covered. Each answer seems to drain a small portion of life out of Laxus so by the end, Laxus is feeling totally exhausted.

Dr. Francis Kian studies his note as he regards Laxus' case after he stops asking his questions. Something that Laxus is internally grateful for. He isn't sure how much more he could take. He isn't sure how much more his own _body_ could take.

Fifteen minutes roll by before Dr. Kian takes off his glasses and lays them down on his desk. "Mr. Dreyar, may I be honest with you?" he asks in a gentle tone as he looks Laxus dead in the eye.

"That's what I'm paying you for," Laxus responds frankly with an underlying tone of sarcasm.

The psychologist nods his head before sitting back in his chair. "There's nothing wrong with you," he states simply and directly.

Laxus furrows his eyebrows in angered confusion as he stares at the doctor like he's a dumbass. "What the fuck do you mean nothing's wrong with me?! I feel like complete shit so how can you say nothing's wrong?!" he demands in a loud harsh growl. Not this again!

"Please allow me to explain," Dr. Kian says soothingly as he presses to continue. Laxus reluctantly holds his tongue as he sits back in his chair and crosses his arms.

"I meant that there's nothing wrong with you psychologically; at least not in regards to the situation in question. Everything you have told me suggests that your mental state, thought processes, emotional condition, and coping mechanisms follow a normal pattern. You have dealt with the scenario of hurting your guildmate just like any typical person would have. That is why I believe that whatever ailment you have, it has nothing to do with your psychology."

"So in other words," Laxus clarifies in irritation, "I'm sick and it's not because of trauma or guilt or depression or something along those lines?"

"Exactly," the psychologist nods his head sagely.

Laxus growls in frustration. "Then what the fuck is wrong with me?!" he exclaims bitterly and angrily. If it's not physical or psychological then what the fuck could it be?! God fucking dammit, _something_ is wrong! There has to be! He doesn't just start feeling like complete shit for absolutely no fucking reason!

Laxus' mind goes around in circles as it tries to figure out its next move. He could try a different psychologist and get a different opinion but deep down he knows that his diagnosis will be the same. Maybe there is some kind medicine he can try? Or some kind of new age healer? Is he allergic to something that he has no idea about?

Dr. Kian is not affected at all by Laxus' little outburst as he continues to regard the upset blonde man quietly. "You are an S-Class wizard from Fairy Tail, correct?" he asks thoughtfully after a few minutes.

Laxus turns away from his thoughts to give the man across from him a hard look. "Yeah, what about it?" he bites out.

"Have you considered that you might be magically sick?" Dr. Kian asks simply.

Laxus' angry expression immediately drops into one of stupor as he blinks at the older man. _Magically…?_ he wonders to himself. That feeling in his chest makes a sudden appearance to swirl around as if confirming the psychologist's words before rapidly disappearing. Laxus completely forgot about that little sensation until now. Why would it pop up now unless it has something to do with it? That alone convinces Laxus that the doc might be onto something.

"I have a theory," Dr. Kian says as he sits up to lean his elbows on his desk, "that something happened to your magical energy during the job that you described. What that is specifically, I don't know. I believe that since you are a wizard with a considerable amount of magical energy, if something were to happen to your magic then your physical health might be affected as a repercussion. It would also explain why I have not been able to find a mental or emotional reason for your ailments. The physicians you have seen probably didn't consider magical influences in their evaluations and that's why they couldn't find anything. This is purely speculation of course. You should go see a healer that specializes in magical diseases if you want any kind of confirmation."

The words "healer that specializes in magical diseases" instantly brings up the image of a cranky, short-tempered, people-hating, old, pink-haired lady that resides in the East Forest outside of Magnolia. Laxus internally groans in frustration. Of course. Of course he would wind up seeing the old bat. He should have just fucking started there.

Laxus tells the psychologist that he knows who he needs to see and thanks the older man for the idea.

* * *

A few days later, Laxus is trudging through the East Forest on his journey to see Porlyusica. One of the great things about the old hag is that she hates people so she lives a decent distant away from town. Good news for him because this way no one will hear what's making him so sick.

He finally reaches the old tree that the pink-haired healer calls home. With a resigned sigh he knocks on the front door and waits to be yelled at.

"What is it?!" Porlyusica barks in anger as she flings the door open to glare at the intruder on her front doorstep.

 _Good thing she hasn't changed_ , he thinks sarcastically to himself. "I need a check-up," he says blandly as he looks at the elderly woman.

A deep set scowl spreads over her face as she glares coldly at the blonde slayer. "And what makes you think I'll give you one?" she demands harshly.

"Because I'm not leaving until you do so the sooner you start, the sooner I'm out of your hair," he replies with a frown of his own, completely unfazed by her bad attitude.

Porlyusica's frown deepens to a half-sneer but she doesn't argue with the man. She briskly turns on her heel and walks inside of her home. Laxus follows after her to sit down on the bed at the far side of the room.

"What's the matter?" she asks the blonde once he has sat down.

"I can't sleep, I can't eat, and I feel like shit," he explains as he turns his head upwards to look at the healer. "I went to a few doctors and they said nothing is wrong but the most recent doctor thought that something is wrong with my magic."

A sharp tsk escapes Porlyusica's mouth as she walks to Laxus' side and begins to examine him. Stupid humans. No one can do anything right. She has to do everything.

After a few minutes of examination, Porlyusica furrows her eyebrows in confusion as she straightens her back. _What_ _is_ _this_? she wonders to herself. She stares at him as she contemplates her next move.

She moves over to the work bench on one side of her tree house and pulls out a large wide bowl. She begins to dump various liquids into the bowl and mixes them up until the liquid has turned into a light blue color.

"Come here," she commands Laxus as she moves away from the pan but close enough so she can observe her experiment. "Put your hand in the bowl and channel your magic into the liquid." Laxus does as he is told and puts his whole hand into the weird fluid. He channels just a small amount into his hand and into the liquid.

Within seconds the still liquid starts to ripple out from his hand before turning into violent waves that crash into each other and the sides of the bowl. Laxus immediately stops his magic from uncertainty at seeing the weird movement and looks at Porlyusica with a raised eyebrow. Porlyusica's eyes flick between him and the bowl and silently command him to continue.

Laxus continues to push his magic outwards into the liquid for couple of minutes before Porlyusica tells him to stop. He wipes his hand of with a towel as she studies him with a careful eye.

"So what's wrong with me?" he asks with a gruff tone as he throws the towel on the desk.

The old lady slightly groans as she considers her options. "I don't know what's wrong with you," she finally speaks with a neutral tone.

Laxus is taken aback before crossing his arms over his chest and glaring her. "Then what the hell was that?!" he demands harshly.

"I said that I don't know what's wrong with you, I didn't say that I don't know what's happening to you," she says frankly.

Laxus grunts but otherwise remains silent. Finally! Someone knows something!

"Your dragon slaying magic is fluctuating erratically," she explains. "All magic has a normal steady baseline in which it flows when it is stable. When a person's magic become sickly, the magic can begin to fluctuate and can cause repercussions throughout the body. Yours is a severe cause. I've never seen anything like it."

"What do you mean its fluctuating?" Laxus asks slightly confused.

Porlyusica heavily sighs. "Stupid human," she grumbles. "Think of your magic as a stream of water," she says more clearly. "When your magic is normal then it flows like a calm river. But yours is completely different. Yours is fluctuating so badly that it is similar to a raging rapid."

"So why is that so bad?"

"The fluctuations cause your magic to behave and interact with your body differently. The reason you are feeling sick and can't sleep is because your body is adjusting to accommodate how your magic is flowing."

Laxus suddenly understands what the old lady is trying to tell him. "So what you're saying is that everything that has been happening to me is because my magic is fucked up?"

"Yes."

"Then fix my magic."

"I can't."

He looks at her in slight bewilderment, "What? Why not?"

"Because I have no idea what is causing the fluctuations. Usually there is some indication, poison, another magic, scarring, something, but there is nothing wrong with you. I can't find the source of the problem and if I don't know the root of the problem, I can't fix it."

"You can't give me something to level it out or anything?" Laxus insists rather loudly.

"No," she replies blandly. "This is sort of magical issue can only be solved with removing the thing that is causing the fluctuations. You will have to figure out what is causing it and fix it. There's no medicine I can give you. There's nothing else I can tell you."

Laxus' jaw drops slightly in shock at her declaration. How is he possibly going to figure out what's wrong with him? He's been trying to figure out what's wrong with him for over a month now and he's just now figuring out this much. At this rate, he'll die from insomnia before he discovers what is really bothering him.

He tries to convince Porlyusica to help him find a solution but she declines every attempt. She tells him to get out as she is tired of dealing with smelly rotten humans.

Laxus drags his tired ass back to Fairy Tail as he tries to wrap his mind around his dilemma. _Great. Just fucking great. Not only am I sick and tired because of my shitty magic but the only way to fix my fucking problem is to find the nonexistent issue. Just my shitty fucking luck from hell…_

There is only thing Laxus can think to do to make him feel better in this situation: drink a shitload of beer.

* * *

Two weeks later, a grouchy, grumpy Laxus is at the Fairy Tail guild nursing a beer.

Just as Porlyusica said, he has been searching for the reason for his "issue", as he has started to call it since he isn't creative enough to name it anything else. Yet, despite his best efforts, nothing has been resolved. His health just continues to get worse and his searching has really started to take its toll.

Laxus hardly eats anything anymore and he hasn't been to sleep at all for the past week. Dark bags have appeared under his eyes and his normal grumpy mood has soured even further into a depressed, angry, and bitter disposition. He doesn't mean to be but he can't help it.

Laxus can feel his chest close up as exhaustion seeps into his aching bones. He has never felt this tired and sick in his life. Picking up his own two feet has now started to feel like a massive chore and he has to force his body to cooperate every time he gets out of bed. He tries not to think about it but that's next to impossible when your own body feels like it could fall apart any minute.

The guild doors open and a familiar voice call out over the guild hall. "Hello everyone!" the woman cheers happily.

Laxus' eyes go wide as he turns on his barstool. "Lucy?" he breathes out in surprised wonder as his eyes finally land on the blonde woman. What the hell is she doing here? That annoying feeling in his chest appears suddenly and blooms into a full warm ball of joy at the appearance of his partner. Laxus furrows his eyebrows in confusion. _Why…?_

"Lucy!" Romeo yells as the said blonde is knocked down by the young boy throwing himself at her as she walks inside the guild hall. Lucy giggles as she hugs Romeo tightly and asks how he is doing.

Other members, mainly Jet, Droy, and Biska, launch themselves at Lucy the exact same way and dog pile on the celestial mage. Welcomes and greetings are mixed together as Lucy becomes smothered with attention.

After Lucy is allowed is breathe again and she has straightened her clothes out, she looks around for her partner and finds him staring at her wide eyed from the bar. She gives him a bright smile and a wave as she walks up to him. "Hey Laxus!" she says happily.

"Hey Lucy," he masks his confusion, exhaustion, pain, and happiness with a smirk. "You're back early." It's true; it's only been two months since she left.

"Yep!" she declares with a big nod. "We made better time then what was expected so I finished two weeks earlier. It's great to be back," she puffs out her chest and sighs happily.

"Lucy! Welcome back!" Master's voice calls from the second floor. "Sit down and tell me what happened!" he says as he gestures to the bar as he walks down the stairs.

"Here you go Lucy!" Kinana chirps happily as she sits down the strawberry smoothie she promised the blonde woman the last time she saw her.

"Thanks Kinana, this looks awesome!" Lucy giggles as she cheerfully takes a seat next to Laxus at the bar.

"Hey Lucy, long time no see," Max says merrily as he and Warren walk up behind the celestial mage.

Everyone crowds around Lucy as they welcome her back or wish to listen to her talk about how her job went.

It was a pretty simple job. Nothing ever really went wrong except for some small incidents that she managed to remedy.

She is in the middle of how a piece cargo flung over the side of the ship during a small storm and was almost lost but she called out Aquarius and had her fetch it when Nab pumps his fist in the air from excitement and accidently sends a whole stein of beer flying onto Jet's head. The speed mage returns the favor with a swift kick which sends the animal soul mage into another guildmate's dinner. That guildmate then gets angry and grabs Nab to throw him a few tables away to hit a woman in the back. She emits a death aura as she flips her entire table, and the surrounding guild members, onto the ground and demands to know who hit her.

Within a few moments, the whole guild begins one of its infamous brawls. Macao flips out and is pathetically yelling for the fighting to stop with Wakaba sighing from the side. Kinana is giggling behind the bar as she expertly dodges a stray chair leg. Lucy is deadpanning at the mess while Laxus has a knowing smirk spread over his lips.

After ten minutes of continuously fighting, Biska and Alzack requip their loudest gun, which just happen to be double-barrel shotguns, and shoots them off into the air to get everyone's attention. Everything comes to a standstill. Vijeeter has his leg twisted around Nab's arm while Nab is in mid-throw as he is lifting Max over his head. Droy is chewing on a disgusted Warren's leg while Jet has him in a headlock. Every other member is in some fighting stance or another as they look around the room. Macao yells how everyone needs to knock it off and to get back to drinking.

Everyone simmers down after that and everything goes back to normal. The only thing different now is that Macao is weeping over how much it's going to cost to repair the guild hall.

"Glad to see nothing has changed while I was gone," Lucy chuckles as she watches Romeo try to console his father. The older purple-haired man's tears dramatically increase to run down his face as the purple-haired boy's face turns into shocked disbelief.

"It never will," Laxus sighs into his drink.

A deep rumbling noise echoes from Laxus' stomach and garners both his and Lucy's attention. She gives him a sly look as she points to his stomach. "Hungry?" she teases.

Laxus looks down at his stomach in confusion as he realizes something. He is _starving_. As in he-hasn't-eaten-in-a-week hungry.

But why? Why now?

He hasn't felt this way since before his "issue" started. Has his magic been fixed? He hasn't done anything differently. What has changed in the last couple of hours? Was it Lucy? That is the only thing he can think of. It can't be just a coincidence that the day she happens to come back is the day he wants to eat again, right? For fuck's sake, he could hardly eat a fucking cracker a couple of hours ago and now he feels like he could eat an entire damn buffet. Actually, that sounds like a great idea.

"Yeah, let's go to a buffet. I'll pay," he says sternly as he rises from his barstool.

"Sure, I'm starving," Lucy chirps sweetly as she hops off her own barstool. She waves goodbye to all of her friends as her and Laxus leave for the night.

Along the way, Lucy finishes her story of how her job went. Laxus quietly listens as she tells him how her and her dad made great progress in their relationship. They no longer have this super awkward tension between them but rather a more relaxed and open relationship. They still have a long way to go for the best father-daughter award but Lucy can see spending more time with her dad without dreading the possibility.

Laxus is happy for Lucy but he keeps his stoic mask. Seems everything worked out for her. That small feeling in his chest brims with happiness and he scowls. _What the fuck? Why do I feel like this? What's happening to me?_

"Laxus?" Lucy's concerned voice interjects into his thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just hungry." He dismisses the feeling and focuses back on Lucy.

Over the next few hours, Lucy and Laxus reach the restaurant and eat till their heart's content. Laxus effectively cleans out the restaurant out and leaves the stressed manager to fret over how to feed the rest of his customers. During dinner Lucy asks how Laxus' jobs fared and listens while he explained that they didn't have any issues. He doesn't tell her about how crappy he's been feeling because he was too busy stuffing his face like a man that just discovered meat for the first time.

At the end of dinner Laxus pays for the _massive_ bill and asks Lucy if she can cook some of her homemade lasagna for him. Before he lost his appetite he was craving the damn dish so much that he literally dreamt about it.

She gives him a huge prideful nod and a bright smile. She promises that she will have it done by tomorrow night and that she'll make it extra tasty.

He gives her a satisfied smirk before a huge wave of exhaustion sweeps through him. He tells her he needs to head home so he can get some rest. She bids him goodnight and tells him that she'll see him tomorrow as he shoots of in a bolt of lightning toward the forest.

* * *

"Laxus?" Lucy calls through his house as she opens the door enough to pop her head in. Nothing. Not even a bump or a scratch or anything.

"Laxus!" she yells louder as she fully enters the house. Still nothing.

"Hmmm, where could he be?" she wonders aloud as she begins to search the house. She checks everywhere on the first floor, the kitchen, the backyard, the dining room, the living room but has no luck. Walking up the stairs, she heads straight to the master bedroom.

The second floor has a long hallway with two guest rooms on the left side and the master bedroom on the right side. Only one of the guest rooms is decorated with a bed and two side tables, the other is being used as a makeshift gym. A weightlifting bench, a barbell, dumbbells, and various weights are carefully placed around the room. Between the two rooms is a shared bathroom with a door on either end. The master bedroom has a king sized bed, a dark wood dresser, a table, and a desk on three sides of the room. A window is opposite of the door to the hallway and has black-out curtains covering the glass. The last wall has two doors; one leading to the master bathroom and one leading to the walk-in closet. The bathroom has marble counters and flooring, a large shower, and a large bathtub while the closet has most of Laxus' clothes hanging on the clothes rack.

Lucy knocks on the master bedroom door. "Laxus?" she says hesitantly through the wood of the door. Hearing no response, Lucy gently opens the door to poke her head into the room. It's dark but she can see the protruding lump under the covers.

She tiptoes forward until she can clearly see the spiky blonde hair lying on top of the pillows. Lucy huffs through her nose as she frowns at the hulk of a sleeping man. Of course he's asleep. She's been worrying for the past two days and he's asleep. The stupid idiot.

She walks over to the curtains and pulls back the fabric to allow the bright afternoon sunshine into the dark room. A painful groan reverberates through the room as she turns to face the blonde man with her hands on her hips.

"The hell?" Laxus grumbles as he blinks in surprise at the sudden light in his eyes.

"Time to wake up Laxus," the annoyed tone in Lucy's voice ringing in his ears.

"Lucy?" he asks confusedly as he begins to sit up. The black sheets slide down his bare chest to pool around his waist. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Lucy scoffs before closing the distance between her and her partner. " _I_ was looking for _you_. You've been missing for the last two days!" she half yells in irritation.

Laxus is finally able to open his eyes without the light blinding him and looks up at the cross woman. "What?"

A tick forms on Lucy's brow at his simple question. "Don't 'what' me! You were supposed to come over for dinner two days ago and you didn't! Then you don't show up at the guild all yesterday to boot!" she claims angrily.

Just like she promised Lucy made her homemade lasagna for the jerk the day after she got back. That dish takes eight hours to make and what does she get?! Nothing! That's what! The stupid jerk didn't come by her apartment or the guild or anything! She thought something had happened to the guy for crying out loud!

Laxus' eyes widen in shock as he begins to realize what has happened. "It's been two days since I last saw you?" he asks dumbstruck.

Lucy huffs as she crosses her arms under her abundant chest. "Two and a half days to be more precise," she scowls. "The last time I saw you was when you left to go home after we ate at the buffet. You completely blew me off! Where have you been?!"

Laxus looks down at his bed in amazement. "Asleep," he answers in astonishment. He can't believe it. He actually slept. And not only that, he slept for two and a half _days._ If there was ever any proof that he needed to believe that his "issue" was somehow linked to Lucy, he had it now. There is no way it's a coincidence that he can both eat and sleep the same day she arrives back home. His magic must be fixed now and Lucy, for some fucked up reason, is the cause of it. The question now is: why?

Lucy cocks any eyebrow in disbelief. "You mean you've been asleep this entire time?"

Laxus frowns up at his partner. "Well yeah, I haven't slept in the past month and a half," he drawls out.

"Wait, what?" her face falls into one of surprise. He hasn't been sleeping? Why?

The realization that Lucy knows nothing about his lack of sleep or appetite hits Laxus. He sighs deeply as he closes his eyes.

"Are you sick?" Lucy asks worryingly.

Laxus heaves another sigh as he rests his elbows on his knees. "Don't worry about it," he tries to deter her anxiety.

Lucy's features soften from concern as she gazes at her partner. "Have you seen a doctor?" she asks with a slight tremble in her voice. She doesn't want him to be sick. If she had known that he wasn't feeling well then she would have never been so irate with him.

Laxus' eyes open and drift upwards to look at the worrisome woman. Seeing the glimmer of care shining in her eyes makes his heart clench in guilt. Another sigh passes through his lips. See, this is what he wanted to avoid. He didn't want her to get the impression that he was trying to hide anything from her. He just didn't want to worry her any more than necessary.

"Yeah, I have. Six of them, in fact. Turns out that it had to do with my dragon slaying magic," he explains.

"Your dragon slayer magic?" she gasps in surprise. "What's wrong with it?"

"Just that it was fluctuating or some shit."

Lucy's face scrunches up in confusion. "Fluctuating? What does that mean?"

Laxus gives a lazy shrug and another sigh. "That it was unstable and was causing me to feel sick. The old hag said she's never seen anything like it. Said that I need to figure out what's causing it to get it fixed. Problem is…I haven't got a fucking clue on where to start."

Lucy crosses her arms and hums in thought at his words. _There must be something somewhere that can help him—_

A lightbulb suddenly appears over her head as a revelation hits her. She snaps her fingers at points at the man in bed. "I know where we can go!" she declares proudly.

Laxus raises an eyebrow in question at this sudden turn of events.

* * *

"Here we are!" Lucy cheers in excitement as she puts her hands on her hips.

Laxus leans his head back as he takes in the scenery. Directly in front of him is an extremely tall black and gray swirling building. "What is this place?" he asks with a frown.

Lucy throws him a bright smile before laying her hand on the side of the entrance. She pushes a little bit of her magic through the keyhole and the door uncurls itself from the center to allow the visitors inside. "This is the Magic Library. It holds information on every type of magic available in Earthland. This is where most of the artifacts that my dad was in charge of transporting were taken to be stored. If this place doesn't have a book on what is making your magic sick, nowhere will," she says confidently as she strolls inside.

Laxus gives her a skeptical look but follows the blonde nonetheless.

As they walk inside Laxus immediately looks up and his eyes widen slightly. _This is going to take fucking forever…_

The interior walls are shaped like a hexagon, with numerous bookshelves at each side arranged in various patterns, holding a vast amount of historic books about every known magic and all its related topics. The floors are linked with each other with what seem to be bridges, serving as a passageway between sporadic flats in the library. The pattern extends past his eye sight to the top of the structure.

"Follow me, I know where the dragon slaying magic section is," Lucy says over her shoulder as she begins to walk up to the second floor. The section with most of the dragon slaying books is on some floor in the middle of the tall tower so the two blondes have a little ways to walk before they reach their destination.

"Why do you know that?" Laxus asks genuinely curious as he frowns at the woman ahead of him.

She stops in her tracks to drops her face toward the floor. Her bangs hang over her eyes as her body slightly trembles. "When I was here with my dad…"she trails off in a hushed voice. A moment passes as she composes herself and looks up at the tall blonde man with eyes that are clouded over by unshed tears. It completely catches Laxus off guard and he cringes in panic. God he hates it when girls cry.

"When I was here with my dad," she speaks a little louder and with more resolve than before, "I spent my free time looking for any information on Achnologia. I-I was hoping that maybe there would be something that could help us locate and defeat him. But all I managed to find was that he is known as the Kind of the Dragons and that he was once a dragon slayer that killed many dragons in the past. There really wasn't any more information than that. I'm sorry," she whispers the last two words.

The name creates an image of a black dragon in Laxus' imagination. He has imagined what Achnologia looks like a hundred times since the day he heard about the damn dragon. A big black dragon that has blue swirls around its chest and shoulders, long black wings that resemble bat wings, and a long tail with spikes along the length…that is what he imagines killing his family.

Laxus scowls and drops his head as he feels anger boil inside of him. His knuckles turn white as he clenches his fists by his side. If there was a way to get revenge against the monster, he would do it in a heartbeat. Not for him…but for everyone that the creature killed. Hate is a kind word for the raging passion he feels against the dragon.

Lucy shakes her head to clear away her watery eyes. "A-anyway," she stammers, "that's why I know where the dragon slayer section is. There are some other books scattered around the library though but I'm sure we can find those too," she gives him a small stressed smile.

Laxus grunts but refuses to lift his eye from the floor.

Lucy's face falls as she sees the pent up anger in Laxus' stance. She realizes how sensitive the subject must be and does not pressure Laxus into confiding in her. He has his own feelings and the right to express them how he sees fit. Plus, she's not that much different. From what she can see, he hates Achnologia. And she does too.

But that is a topic for another day. Right now they have to concentrate on his health.

"Come on," she says as she turns back toward the ramps, "it's somewhere in the middle. The sooner we start, the sooner we find the reason you weren't able to sleep."

Lucy is several steps ahead of him before Laxus begins to follow the woman again. He sharply deters his ire and focuses on the task at hand.

The trek up the tower is made in silence as Lucy focuses on where she is going while Laxus takes note of the sheer immensity of the volume of books, tomes, and papers throughout the vast library.

As they approach a small section of one side of the wall with a few books laid on the floor in front of the bookshelves, Lucy stops and takes a deep breath. "Here it is," she declares proudly as she waves toward the books. "It's not much but there might be something in there about your sickness."

She's not lying. The dragon slayer section composes about one bookshelf worth of books. Laxus can immediate see a wide variety of subtopics of dragon slayers spread amongst the bookshelves; everything from types of magic, to the history of dragon sightings throughout the world, to behavioral studies between dragons and humans.

Fuck, where does he start? Not to mention how long this is going to fucking take…

"And I brought these to help us!" Lucy declares as she brings out and holds up two pairs of galeforce reading glasses.

Laxus glares at Lucy. "I'm not wearing those," he says coldly as his eyes briefly flick over the heart and cloud designed magical tools. Nope, no fucking way.

Lucy frowns as she crosses her arms under her chest. "Unless you want to spend the next year in here doing nothing but reading then _yes_ , _you_ _are_ ," she firmly stresses the last words as she holds out both of the glasses for him to select one.

Laxus crosses his own arms over his big chest and continues to glare at the petite woman. He remains silent in his defiance of taking the girly contraptions.

* * *

Five hours later, Lucy places another stack of books down between her and Laxus.

The two blondes had an intense staring and an argument for the first hour over the galeforce reading glasses. Eventually they began after Laxus, albeit with _extreme_ reluctance and a threat to turn Lucy to ash if there is every any mention of this after all of this is over, took the cloud glasses. They each pulled out their own pile of books and took their seat on the floor. Laxus placed his coat off to his side as he sat cross legged on the floor by a kneeling Lucy.

Lucy discovered as she began reading that she had no idea what she was looking for. When she asked Laxus what exactly she is looking for, he simply told he to look for anything that talks about his magic fluctuating and him becoming tired and sick because of it. She whined for him to tell her more information but he replied that he didn't know what else he could say. He honestly didn't, _he_ had no idea what the hell he was looking for. It's all just a shoot in the dark at this point.

Currently, they are making good progress in reading all of the books that seem relevant to fluctuations in dragon slaying magic. Some books, mostly historic or lore, were set aside so they could focus on topics such as different magical styles and studies regarding how dragon slaying magic functions. So far they have found nothing that comes close to what Laxus described as his symptoms though.

More hours pass as books are read and set aside for the next one. Pages rapidly flip as words magically lift out of the papers at a swift pace toward the glasses. All of the knowledge from the books is memorized by the mages reading them.

This pattern continues until dinner time before the two Fairy Tail mages call it a night. Lucy cooks them dinner that they packed ahead of time for their trip and eat before they fall asleep in their bedrolls not too far off to the side from all of their books.

* * *

The next day after lunch, Laxus and Lucy have made substantial progress. By Lucy's calculations they should be finished with the whole section in two days.

Every now then she sighs in frustration. Reading all of these books and not getting so much as a _tiny_ clue truly is irritating but she persists. There must be something, somewhere that will have their answers.

Lucy finishes her book on dragon's eating habits before putting it in her "completed" pile. Nothing. No help at all.

Laxus watches his fellow blonde stand up and stretch before heading over to the bookshelf for the next round. He scowls as he picks up his next book. It's more of a manuscript than an actual book and reads _Emotional, Psychological, and Behavioral Studies in the Effects of Magic: Dragon Slaying._

He has to contain a groan of dread. Almost all of the books in his latest selection have all been some sort of study or medical document with a shitload of technical language. He has effectively learned now that he despises anything sort of scientific papers. He has to reread everything at least two times and reference a dictionary for him to fully understand any of it. It's fucking annoying as shit and gives him an immense headache.

Opening the small manuscript, Laxus rapidly reads through each page.

 _Acts of Aggression Towards Others…Depression…Chemical Releases…Protective Tendencies…_ Laxus reads the name of the chapters in his head without paying much attention to much of the content. It is all so pointless. He is at the end of the papers when he sees a sentence detailing the act of magical fluctuations and the repercussions on the physical body. His eyes slightly widen in hope as he stops the galeforce reading glasses and turns to the beginning of the chapter to get a contextual idea of what he is reading about.

Laxus blinks heavily twice as he rereads the title of the chapter. Embarrassment rises in his stomach as that stupid feeling purrs in his chest and warms his insides. Fucking little…

The sound of feet shuffling brings him out of his reverie and he looks up to see Lucy walking back with a new stack of books in her arms. He quickly snaps the pages shut and stuffs the manuscript under his coat.

He glances over at Lucy from the corner of his eye to see her curling her legs under her and picking out a new book. A small sigh of relief echoes in his head. He may have found his answer but he needs to make sure he fully understands it before telling Lucy about it… _if_ he wants to tell her about it. It might be too humiliating after all.

Maintaining his bored composure he selects a grimoire and makes a plan to reread the manuscript once Lucy goes to bed that night.

* * *

"Night Laxus," Lucy yawns as she rolls over onto her side.

Laxus watches Lucy until he hears her breathing even out and heart slow down to signal the sound of sleep. He pulls out the small manuscript and inspects the set of papers.

With a calming breath, he opens the study to the chapter he read earlier.

 _Mating: A Marriage Equivalent_

The very title makes him feel tremendously embarrassed. Resigning himself to the awkward contents he is about to read, Laxus pushes aside his unsettling feelings in his determination to find his answers.

* * *

Laxus stares at the floor with a deep scowl over his lips as he debates his options. None are good or pleasant and he can't help but be pissed off at himself for digging his stupid ass into this hole.

It has been over an hour since he has finished reading the manuscript. It was a lot of technical and scientific language but after rereading the chapter very carefully five times, and having some major help from the dictionary, he is positive that he understands everything about his "issue".

He is currently going through what is known as "mating".

Every dragon slayer, normal or artificial, inherits a dragon's magic. The magic changes the slayer's body to accommodate the unique traits that the magic possesses. For example, cognitive bodily parts such as the eyes, ears, taste are enhanced in order for the slayer to gain the dragon's superior senses. This phenomenon is also the root cause for the process in which a slayer approaches sexual relationships and creates the structure for a family.

Just like dragons, dragon slayers mate for life. A part of a dragon's selection of their mate, or dragon equivalent of a human spouse, is determined by the compatibility that certain magics have towards others. Slayer's magic continues this trend and is thus always seeking a magic that would be compatible with its own and finding a suitable mate for the respective slayer. This criteria specification heightens the chances of survivability for the slayer, the mate, and their offspring.

There is a whole process that must be completed in order for the slayer to successful "mark" a mate. First, the slayer must concentrate a small portion of their magic into the potential mate in a "magical exchange". The potential mate's body will unconsciously hold onto the slayer's magic and allow the slayer to create a magical bond between the two. The potential mate's body will retain the magic and will build up immunity to the magic. Other magical exchanges are made throughout the courtship until the potential mate's body can easily accommodate a large amount of the slayer's magic. It is then that a final magical exchange that is sealed with a physical bite to conclude the mateship.

If a magical exchange is made but the final marking is not performed, then the potential mate's body will slowly dissipate the slayer's magic from their bodies and into the atmosphere. The bond will slowly fade over time and eventually disappear. The process will need to be reinitiated once more.

Of course, any types of magical bonds like that have its drawbacks. When a slayer puts their magic inside another individual, the slayer is essential placing their magic in two places. The magic will constantly wish to be united with its missing section and can drive the slayer to always be near the potential mate. If the slayer's magic cannot correspond with the magic inside of the mate, the magic inside of the slayer may begin to react. This could potentially cause the slayer's magic to begin fluctuating violently and, in turn, cause the slayer to feel fatigue, irritability, lack of appetite, and decrease in magical ability. It was not recommend that a slayer be away from their mate for a long period of time due to these effects.

Not much more information was given after that due to the study being cut short.

Laxus slowly drags his eyes across the floor to his partner. She is lying on her side with a faint smile over her face as she peacefully slumbers. The air between them is still and calm almost as if to contradict the emotions tumbling over one another inside of his heart.

He has begun the process of being mated to Lucy.

It instantly clicked in his mind as he was reading the manuscript that he must have transferred his magic to her when he accidently electrocuted her and did the "magical exchange". Just fucking perfect…Everything else just fell into place after that. The feelings in his chest, not being able to sleep, not eating, everything. And it's all his fault.

Now what does he do? According to the manuscript, he has no choice but wait for the magic inside of Lucy to slowly fade from her body. Their link should decrease in intensity the lower of the amount of magic that is inside of her. Should he remain close to her? He doesn't really feel any different when he's next to her with the few exceptions of that strange feeling in his chest. On the other hand, staying away from her would make him miserable and sickly.

Guess he's staying close to her. There ain't really any other choice.

Then should he tell her about all of this shit? It might seem weird if he starts hanging around her more without any sort of reason. If he does tell her then she might be understanding and even helpful—

A small content sigh slips past Lucy's lips as she continues to sleep peacefully. Laxus feels his heart clench in guilt as he turns his gaze away from the woman.

He…he can't tell her. He won't tell her.

This isn't _her_ problem, it's _his_. She shouldn't have to be worried about something that he caused. If he does tell her, it doesn't take a genius to figure out how awkward their relationship will become. That would only end badly for her and for him. He's lost too much already to lose her too.

He swore to her and her old team that he would be her partner and to protect her no matter the dangers or the consequences. Even if that includes him. He made the mistake of accidently electrocuting her and starting this whole mess so he should be the one to deal with it. Even if it causes him great pain and discomfort, he will deal with this alone.

Heaving a heavy reluctant sigh, Laxus moves over to his bedroll to try to get some sleep. It's not surprising to the lightning dragon slayer that he didn't get much sleep that night.

* * *

"I can't believe that there wasn't a single bit of help in all of those books!" Lucy protests as she throws her hands up into the air in a fit of frustration.

Laxus remains silent as he keeps his eyes on the road as they weave through the forest.

It's been two days since he found out about his mating issue and two days that he has been hiding his findings from the blonde woman. He made sure to pocket the manuscript in his coat for the duration of their exploration in the library to make sure she didn't find it. He also wanted to keep it just in case he ever needs it for future reading.

Lucy turns and looks expectantly at the taller blonde. "Aren't you upset about this?"

Laxus merely shrugs his shoulders. "Wasn't expecting to find anything," he says flatly. _But I found my shitty reasons anyway though,_ he thinks bitterly.

Lucy huffs and frowns at her partner. "How can you be so nonchalant about this?! What if it happens again and you can't go to sleep for two months? Or three? Or six?!"

"I'll deal with it," he says in complete neutrality. _Because it ain't gonna happen…_

Lucy's jaw drops as she stops in her tracks to gape at him. Doesn't he care that he could literally wake up tomorrow and his entire magical supply is completely out of whack?!

Laxus stops walking and turns to look over his shoulder at the younger mage. "Don't worry about it. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. Now quit your gawking and hurry up. I thought you wanted to take a job together once you got back from your job."

Lucy worries her bottom lip as she debates on her options. Deciding that letting it go for now is the best option she jogs to catch up with him. He may not be right to not worry about his health but he is right about one thing. It's a _long_ walk back to the guild.


	10. Chapter 10

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" the crowd roars with synchronized fist pumps.

The encouraging cheers push Macao and Wakaba to continue to down their respective beers.

Macao and Wakaba slam their mugs down, signaling the end of the seventh round and are rewarded with a round of applause and hollering from everyone around them.

Both men decided to have a drinking contest to help relieve the tension from the stress of the disappointing news brought by the council. They were at the bottom of their second mugs when guild members started to gather around to observe. At the beginning of their fifth round, practically the whole guild was watching the spectacle and had begun to root for them.

Two weeks ago, Captain Lahar from the Magic Council came by the guild. A hush fell over all of the occupants of the guild at the presence of the man. After all, it's never a good thing when the Magic Council comes knocking on Fairy Tail's door.

The reason for his visit was not pleasant. He told Master Macao in private that the six month limit has been reached on the search party for the Fairy Tail members that were on Tenrou Island. The usually stoic man was sympathetic and gentle as he delivered the news that nothing was ever found of the missing group.

Master was tremendously emotional as he thanked the captain for all of his hard work before bidding him farewell. Moments afterwards, he informed all of the guild members of the news that Captain Lahar brought.

Everyone was deeply saddened. A new wave of grief and sadness flooded the guild hall; the sight reminiscent of the day Lucy brought the initial news. The grief was followed by mourning during the entirety of the next week. The members allowed themselves the luxury of that amount of time.

Lucy and Laxus were the most heartbroken.

Lucy stayed in bed and cried for the first three days. She hardly ate anything, strictly from the loss of her appetite. Never wrote nor showered neither. Just cried. Cried until her eyes stung and throat was swollen from overuse. Her spirits came to comfort her on more than one occasion but would leave once they were dismissed by the blonde woman.

Laxus trained during the first three days. He trained day and night in the most rigorous routines possible. Routines that made every one of his muscles moan and complain in painful agony until they finally gave out and he collapsed on the ground. The only time he ever stopped was to eat and sleep and that was far and few in between.

To some of the members, the news wouldn't have been so bad if _something_ had been found. Be it a tree limb, a piece of clothing, a weapon…a body… _anything_. But they had _nothing_. No proof, no evidence that the members are without a doubt dead. It will always leave them wondering if maybe, by some miracle, they could be still alive. Somewhere, somehow in some distant land possibly. Their closure will never come because of that small shard of hope that only serves to cut jagged wounds into their hearts.

On the fourth day, both blondes solemnly stood in front of the fairy monument at the memorial site along with several other members. Everyone had been there at one time or another, some even multiple times. Jet and Droy visited every day and laid a new bouquet out for Levy at the fairy's feet. Biska and Alzack even brought a small dagger in Erza's honor. Lucy could tell that Romeo had been by because of a small note with sloppy, childish handwriting that was addressed to Natsu.

They stayed like that for almost the entirety of the day. Not speaking or looking at one another. Just lost in their thoughts and emotions as they mourned their loved ones. Lucy and Laxus returned for the next three days to continue their grieving. Lucy would get there earlier than Laxus to have some privacy with the fairy. At the end of the day, Lucy would leave early so Laxus could have his alone time with fairy.

After that first week, everyone and everything started to get better. Everyone took jobs and held conversations like normal. Lucy and Laxus still went to the memorial site but they didn't stay as long as the day previously.

The cause for such a rapid turnaround was that all of the members had prepared somewhat for the possibility of the Council not finding anything. Grieving and mourning when the Tenrou group first disappeared allowed the members to release most of the sadness and pain so they could move on. Once the recent news arrived, the second wave of grief did not have such a lasting effect like the first time.

By the end of the second week, everything was pretty much back to normal. Drinking and cheers were heard around the hall in vast amounts. Members were taking jobs or, in Nab's case, looking over the jobs. Biska and Alzack were being lovey-dovey in the corner of the hall. Lucy was writing her novel at the bar with Romeo doing his schoolwork beside her. Vijeeter was dancing while Reedus painted him. Max was playing a trick on Nab with the help of Warren. Laxus was listening to his music on the second floor while sipping his beer. Kinana served drinks effortlessly to all of her patrons. It was almost normal.

The only ones who didn't have the two weeks to grieve were Macao and Wakaba. They had two _days_ instead.

After the first two days, Macao realized that he couldn't handle all of the announcements, paperwork, and confidential notices that came with the official news alone so he volunteered (which seemed more like forced to everyone else) Wakaba into assisting him. It didn't bother the two men that they didn't have as much time as everyone else because they understood that there was work to be done and they were responsible for everything now. So they worked tirelessly for almost two weeks.

Today is the day that everything has now been put into order so the two men thought they deserved to relax and what better way to do that than to having an old fashion drinking contest.

"Ki-Kinta! A…Anoth'r 'ound!" Macao calls out to Kinana in a heavily slurred tone.

Within moments the purple-haired bartender walks up to both men with a smile and deposits three mugs of beer in front of each of them.

"Than-" Macao hiccups and his eyes roll around the room. "Th-thnks a 'ole bunc'" he finishes with a drunken grin.

"Yep!" Wakaba agrees with a pop of his lips.

Kinana giggles behind her hand before wistfully escorting herself back to the bar.

"Alrigh'!" Macao slams his hand on the table before pointing at his drinking rival. "You re'dy!?" he shouts with a look of comedic drunken seriousness all over his face.

Wakaba narrows his eyes behind his glasses and mimics the man across from him. "Are you read' to eat my…my…" he trails off with a look of utter drunken confusion on his face.

"Dirt?" Warren suggests from the sidelines with a sweatdrop.

Wakaba snaps his fingers and points at the telepathy mage. "Wha' he said!" he declares.

A frown makes its way onto Macao's lips. "You'r' gonna regre' tat!" he slurs. "On t'ree! One! Two! T'ree!"

Both of the men begin to gulp down their eighth around as almost everyone around them begins to chant and cheer once more.

"How much longer do you think they'll last?" Lucy asks with an amused smirk.

"Not much. They're pushovers now," Laxus replies apathetically.

The two men have hardly drunk more than two beers in a single day in the last six months. They have been so busy with guild work that they just haven't had the time to indulge in their favorite pastime and it has really made them more susceptible to the influence of the alcohol. At that moment, Laxus knows that he can easily beat the other two men. Hands down.

Macao and Wakaba slam both of their beers down and simultaneously belch. The guild members break out into laughter and cheering as they swallow their own drinks.

"Yeah, because chugging eight beers in considered being a lightweight," Lucy states sarcastically as she gives Laxus a dry look.

Laxus smirks down at the petite blonde. "Around here it is. It's all about who you compare yourself to."

Lucy frowns before shaking her head and sighing. Oh why does she even bother?

Everyone is so invested in the contest that no one notices the guild door opening to reveal an old man, somewhere in his late seventies. He is wearing a black suit and is carrying a black briefcase in his right hand. Taking careful, methodical steps he walks up to where Kinana is wiping down a segment of the bar.

"Excuse me?" he asks in order to get the barmaid's attention.

Lucy sees the old man out of the corner of her eye and she turns her head to get a better look at him out of curiosity. Laxus notices Lucy's misplaced attention and looks over her head in the direction of the newcomer.

"Yes, can I help you?" Kinana responds pleasantly when she looks up from her duties.

"I am looking for a Mr. Laxus Dreyar. Would you happen to know where he is by any chance?" the older man asks.

Laxus hums to himself when he hears his name. "Yeah, what is it?" he interjects as he walks away from the drinking contest with a curious Lucy behind him.

The old man jumps slightly at Laxus' sudden voice but composes himself at once. Laxus towers over the smaller man but neither seem to give any notice to this fact. Lucy looks back in forth between the two men with intrigue.

"My name is Iosif Krupin and I am here on business regarding your grandfather, Makarov Dreyar," the man introduces himself. He pulls out a business card and holds it out for Laxus.

Laxus' eyes widen when he hears his grandfather's name. "Gramps? What about him?" he asks as he mindlessly takes the card.

"I was Makarov's attorney before he passed away. I am terribly sorry for your loss, my sincerest apologies for your family. The reason for my visit is that I wish to make an appointment with you so that I may review some documents that pertain to the legal matters of Makarov's passing," he says formally but with a kind tone.

"What kind of documents?" Lucy asks as she comes up beside Laxus.

"I'm afraid I am not at liberty to discuss such matters here. I will be happy to go into full detail in my office. When are you available Mr. Dreyar?"

Laxus looks down at the card before looking back up at the lawyer. What is all of this about? "Tomorrow ought to be good. About noon," he answers simply.

"Very good. I will see then," Iosif says with a nod. With a brief farewell, he slowly walks out the guild.

When the old man is out of sight, Laxus faintly groans as he sits down on a barstool and orders himself a drink. Another round of cheers erupts from the center of the guild just as Lucy sits down next to her partner.

"I wonder what he has to discuss with you," Lucy wonders out loud what is on both of their minds.

"Who knows. Something about Gramps," Laxus replies indifferently. Deep down, he is very curious about the meeting as well. He might even be a little bit nervous. This is the first time someone has mentioned his grandfather specifically since the news broke and it's about some legal matters that he knows nothing about. That is not a good sign.

"I'm sure it's nothing bad," Lucy says cheerfully in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I bet it's about some financial statements or insurance claims. That's what my dad had to go through for my mom when she passed away."

Laxus side eyes her as he contemplates her statement. "You wanna come?" he asks without dropping his frown. He knows jack shit about legal stuff and she since she has seen this type of thing before she might be of some assistance if she tagged along. And as much as it hurts his pride, knowing that a friend will be there beside him helps settle some of his anxiety.

Lucy jumps a little in surprise at his question. She was not expecting him to ask her if she wanted to go. A part of her really wants to know what's going on while the other part feels like she is intruding on his personal family business. The part that is curious wins out over however and she smiles up at Laxus. "Sure. But only if you really want me to go," she insists as gives him a firm stare.

Laxus shrugs his shoulders before taking a gulp of his drink that Kinana gave him while he wasn't paying attention. "Yeah, you can go," he states nonchalantly.

"Great! Wanna meet up here and then head over to his office tomorrow?" Lucy asks excitedly.

Laxus nods his head in agreement.

* * *

The two blondes walk in a large office building looking for Iosif Krupin's practice.

Finally, at the end of a hallway, they walk into a small secretary's office. The woman at the front desk immediately directs them to the back where they will find Mr. Krupin's office.

Mr. Krupin's office is elegant and very professional. A thick redwood desk sits in front of a bay window on an intricate blue rug. Potted plants flank both sides of the window and rows of books line both walls. Two dark brown leather wing chairs face his desk.

"Please have a seat," Mr. Krupin motions with his hand toward the two chairs in front of his desk. "My apologies for all of the formalities; I must be professional when I am handling the business of my clients. Once again, my sincerest regards for you and your family Mr. Dreyar," he continues as Lucy and Laxus take a seat in their respective chairs.

Laxus grunts at the man in front of him.

"Well," Mr. Krupin says as he takes a heavy seat in his chair, "shall we get started? I will try to be quick." He takes out an old pair of reading glasses and positions them carefully on the end of his nose.

"Why are we here?" Laxus asks calmly while holding his stoic demeanor. On the inside he is feeling somewhat antsy about this whole situation. Mostly from not knowing what exactly to expect.

"As I was saying inside of your guild, I have some legal matters to discuss with you." Mr. Krupin looks over curiously at the blonde woman in the room. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name Miss…"

"Heartfilia," Lucy finishes for him. "Lucy Heartfilia."

"Are you a relative of Makarov?"

"No. I'm just a member of Fairy Tail."

"Usually we only allow relatives to attend these meeting but that rule can be waived if you have permission by one of the attendees. Do you have any objection to her bearing witness to this meeting?" Mr. Krupin asks Laxus.

"Wouldn't have brought her if I did," Laxus replies blandly. Lucy frowns at his rudeness but he completely misses it.

"In that case, let's get down to business," Iosif pulls out three manila folders and lightly pats them. "These are all of the documents that I have been instructed to give you upon the death of Makarov Dreyar-"

"Excuse me?" Lucy interjects as politely as she can.

"Yes?" Mr. Krupin asks with raised eyebrows.

"Before we get started we have a question we wanted to ask you," Lucy says as she gestures between her and Laxus. "It's been six months since the Master died, why are you just now telling Laxus about all of this stuff? Why didn't you do it earlier?"

It is a true question and concern of the two blondes. After Mr. Krupin left yesterday, Lucy wondered why the old man had waited so long to come forth about all of these legal matters. When her mother passed away, everything was handled immediately or within a few weeks. Not six months later. Laxus didn't think about that and her observation piqued his interest as well. They decided that they would ask the old lawyer when they saw him.

"Well that is actually very simple. I was instructed by Makarov to only release these papers upon his death. I am bound by the law to wait until an official statement has been made declaring that Makarov has passed away. While the Magical Council has been searching for Makarov for the past six months, they have labeled him as 'Missing', not 'Deceased'. Now that the Council has called off the search, they have officially released a statement saying that Makarov—along with the others on the island—are classified as 'Deceased'. That is why I was only able to come to you now. It is all a bunch legal mumbo jumbo," he waves his hand.

Lucy's lips form an "O" shape in understanding. She nods her head in acceptance while Laxus crosses his arms over his chest.

"Any more questions?" Iosif asks expectantly with a small clap of his hands.

Lucy shakes her head in response.

"Alright then, first things first. I have a few papers for you to sign," he says as he lays several papers in front of Laxus and lays a pen on top of them. "These are for acknowledging that you are present at this meeting and that you are to be fully informed of all known matters that relate to Makarov Dreyar. Afterwards, any legal matters while transferred to your legal representative."

Laxus takes the papers and briefly looks over each one. He takes the pen and signs on the bottom line and initials each paper. Once he is finished, Laxus hands the papers back to Iosif. Mr. Krupin lays the papers aside and put the first manila folder in front of the lightning dragon slayer. Laxus grabs the folder and sits back in his chair.

"These are funeral directions that your grandfather prearranged," he speaks as the younger man looks over the contents of the folder. "Usually this part would be straight forward but seeing as how your grandfather's body was never found, you may proceed with what you deem appropriate."

Laxus nods his head in understanding as he turns over a brochure in the file. It's for a cemetery in town somewhere. Gramps' writing is all over it with certain sentences circled and others underlined. There are papers that list off the names of different morticians, caskets, and flower shops around town while others are receipts and confirmations with the director of the funeral home, caretakers, and other various individuals.

Looking down at the morbid papers gives Laxus a surreal feeling. He never thought gramps would take so much time and plan everything out in such detail. He's not sure that he could. Not when he's talking about his own death.

A fresh pool of sadness and self-awareness consumes Laxus as he looks back at the brochure; although he keeps a calm demeanor due to not wanting to show how much all of this is affecting him.

None of this seemed real to him until that moment. As if this was just a dream that he could wake up from. Seeing and holding the physical proof of the graveyard that gramps personally choose makes Laxus think about his history with the old man. It brings back a lot of memories of his gramps and he can't help but think about how he will never see him again. Those thoughts make his heart clench in sorrow. Despite how much he has moved on from the grieving and the mourning, he still feels lonely and depressed at times when he thinks about how much he misses his grandpa. It is a lot easier than before; especially now that he knows he has Lucy's support and that his memories will never go away.

Lucy leans on the side of her chair to peep into the file. She can see Laxus staring at a brochure with a disheartened sheen in his eyes. Her lips curve into a frown of concern and she places one of her small hands on his large forearm. The physical contact snaps him out of his reverie as he turns his gaze toward her questioning brown orbs. He clears his throat and hands the file to his partner. Lucy gently takes the file and opens it to quickly glance over the papers.

"Now this one," Mr. Krupin lays the second manila folder, which is the thickest, in front of Laxus, "holds the most recent list of the insurance, taxes, claims, and legal history that your grandfather possessed at the time of his death. The older files are stored in my reserves and I can readily access them should you have need of them. These are mainly for your reference should any concerns or questions arise in the future."

With a sigh and a bad feeling in his stomach, Laxus grabs the folder and begins looking through it. One glance at the first page confirms Laxus' gut instinct; his grandfather had done a lot of shit in his life. Both good and bad—and it's all laid out for Laxus in this damn folder. He groans as he shuts the folder without looking at the second page. They are going to be here all day if he sits her and looks through all of this. And this is only the _most recent_ stuff. Laxus is pretty sure that there is a whole wall full of Gramps' crappy paperwork somewhere and that thought alone gives him a headache.

Lucy places the first file in her lap and holds out her hands for the second. Laxus happily hands it over to the celestial mage in his attempt to forget about it at the moment. On the other hand, Lucy opens it up and begins to go through it. Mixed emotions of confusion, surprise, intrigue, and mock horror fly across her face as she delves into the life of the Third Master of Fairy Tail. A smirk spreads across Laxus' face as he watches Lucy with humorous interest.

"And finally, the last order of business is the reading of the Will," Mr. Krupin says as he opens the last file on the desk.

Both blondes stop what they are doing and spin their heads around to look at the old man in surprise. "Will?" they ask dumbly simultaneously.

"Yes, the Will," Iosif nods with a smile. "I take it you didn't know there was one," he chuckles while eyeing Laxus.

Lucy looks beside her to see an utterly dumbstruck Laxus.

"No," he musters in his confusion.

Why in the world would gramps have a will? His whole life was wrapped up in the guild. There wasn't much outside of the guild that interested the old man. So what could the old man possibly have to give him?

Iosif laughs for a moment before clearing his throat. "Now before I read this, please understand that I am obligated into reading this word for word. Please forgive me for any foul language that might be written."

Laxus nods senselessly while Lucy nods with big sage like bows of her head, both intensely curious.

"To Laxus," Mr. Krupin begins. "Since you are listening to Iosif read this paper then that means that I have passed away. I don't know how much was said or not said between us before I died but that doesn't matter now. There are a few things I want to say whether or not you've heard them so listen up you damn brat.

"I know that things have been rough between us over the past several years. Neither one of us is solely to blame for a multitude of reasons. We're both stubborn, hardheaded, and determined when it comes to the things we believe to be right. It's who we are and I could never blame you for that when I raised you in that manner.

"In the end, it seemed that all of our fights and some of my choices propelled you down the wrong path. Something I am deeply sorry for doing to you. I never intended for you to ever get hurt by any of my decisions. Everything I have always done was for the good of you and for the good of the guild. I thought that I could always make the two coincide but after a while I was forced to make certain decisions that would help the guild while simultaneously hurting you. It was in moments like those that I knew that I was putting the guild's wellbeing before you and it always killed my soul. It truly did.

"I know that I wasn't the best role model. Hell, I wasn't the best grandfather or parent figure to you and I'm sorry for that. But I tried to the best of my ability. I really did. Putting aside the fact that I sometimes put the guild's interests before your own, our family was almost always at odds. Your father and I were not on good terms for a long time. Our relationship only truly deteriorated when he put that lightning dragon slayer lacrima inside of you. That being said, I want you to understand that nothing he ever did was meant as an insult or threat against you. His true ill intentions were always aimed towards me and he used you as a method of getting back at me. Yet another reason for me to deeply apologize to you.

"It became obvious to me that I cared for you far more than he did and I wasn't going to let him hurt you again. I tried to take you away from him permanently but you didn't want to leave him so I tried to keep him away from you as much as possible while simultaneously keeping you happy. I thought that maybe if I provided you with enough love and care that Ivan wouldn't influence you. But I was wrong.

"Now, I am not saying that your father is to blame for all of your wrong mindsets but I will say that he was a major part of them. As was I. Ivan might have corrupted you but I reinforced it. I tried not to but once I banished Ivan I realized that I drove that darkness deeper into your heart even if it the best thing for you. It was just a snowball's effect after that; one thing led to another and before we both knew it, you were a different person on a different path than the man I tried to raise you to be.

"I understand that all of your actions were made out of the best intentions. But as I hope you have learned, sometimes the best intentions led to a horrible outcome. Banishing you was the hardest thing I ever had to do. If it was up to me, I would have allowed you to stay in Fairy Tail but I had to once again put the interest of the guild ahead of my personal desires. I hope and pray with every fiber of my being that you will learn peace and empathy during your banishment. I hope that you will become a better man than when I last spoke to you; a man that protects, honors, and accepts those that he holds dear. That is my final wish.

"I am very proud of you Laxus. I always have been. You are the successor of my will and whether or not you believe me, you always have been. I never lost hope that you will always do the right thing and walk along the right path. You might have gotten lost a time or two but you always managed to come back. And for that you will always have my respect. Even though I was forced to banish you, I never wanted to. I always wanted you to be close to me so I could continue to love and protect you. You were the whole reason for my living; all I ever cared about was to see you grow to be happy and healthy. I don't care if you hate me. No matter what I will still love you because you are my grandson and a small piece of me will always be with you.

"I have instructed Iosif to relinquish everything I own to you. Do with it as you wish. All I ask is that you do not sell the house in Razdol'noye. I made a promise to your grandmother and I intend to keep it.

"How you live your life from here on out is solely up to you. There will be no more of me butting into your life to tell you what to do. You are your own man now. But I will say this…I sincerely hope that one day you find a happy home, someone who loves you with all of their mind, body, heart, and soul, and children to spoil with love. The past does not dictate how you should act. Do what you think is best and you will always do the right thing. I wholeheartedly believe that.

"Always know two things. That no matter the distance between us, I'll always be watching over you and that I will always love you. I promise. In loving regard, Makarov Dreyar.

"P.S…Watch over the guild for me. Those damn brats will probably wreck the whole damn place within the first week of me being gone. I tried for too long to keep that place up and running and I will be damned before I see it go to a complete waste. I know you will keep it safe. It runs in our blood and I hope that it will continue to for another hundred years," Mr. Krupin finishes.

A thick ball of emotion gathers in Laxus' throat and a single tear rolls down his cheek as Mr. Krupin reads the last words of his grandfather. Laxus always knew that his gramps loved him. Loved him more than he loved anyone else. He had a really messed up childhood and it made him into a giant mess of a man with some really fucked up issues and priorities. Yet his gramps was always there when he needed him. And no matter what shit he gave his grandpa or hell he put him through, the old man always managed to have faith in him. Guilt, shame, anger, remorse, sadness, regret, anguish and every other shitty feeling wracks his heart enough that he can feel it crack and slowly chip away into nothing.

Laxus feels a soft hand lay over his forearm and he turns to see a teary eyed Lucy gently smiling at him. Needing more of her support, he lays his opposite hand over hers and tightly clenches her hand. While small compared to his palm, her hand makes him feel more full, secure, and strong.

"Along with the Will, there are the deeds to the houses and lands as well as some personal papers that Makarov has passed along to you in the this file," Mr. Krupin hands over the file to Laxus and crosses his hands on his desk.

Laxus doesn't open the file as he silently declares that he will look at everything later when he is in a private setting and not so emotional. Lucy recognizes this decision with a small comforting smile as she puts it with the others.

"If you can sign these papers, that will conclude our meeting. These acknowledge that you have been informed of everything that was stated in the forms at the beginning of our meeting." Iosif says as he lays another sent of forms in front of Laxus.

Laxus quickly takes the papers and scribbles his signature at the bottom.

Mr. Krupin takes the papers and places them to the side. "That is all I have for you today, unless you have any questions for me," Mr. Krupin asks the two blondes.

Lucy looks at the old man and shakes her head. "No thank you. We don't have any questions right now. If we think of some later, can we ask you then?"

"Of course," he nods in response. "Feel free to contact me about anything."

Lucy thanks the man before standing with Laxus. Iosif Krupin stands up as well and escorts the two mages to his door. Lucy clutches the files to her chest as she thanks him once again while Laxus nods mutely in appreciation.

A deep silence falls over the two wizards as they walk through town. Makarov's last words have left a heavy somber air over their hearts and minds. Lucy looks up at Laxus in concern to see his face downturned and his eyes hollow.

"Laxu-"

"I'm going home. Give me the files," he cuts her off without looking at her.

Lucy partly gasps before nodding slightly. She hands over the papers and folders to her partner. Without another word he treads off toward his home.

Her heart breaks for the blonde male as she watches him walk out of sight. Empathy and sorrow fill her chest as she imagines what he must be feeling right now. She remembers all too well what it is like dealing with the aftereffects of a relative's death. It's heartbreaking and difficult just dealing with the loss of the loved one but now he has to sort through that person's whole life on top of that. There's going to be a lot to take in and do in such a short amount of time.

But that's why she's here. She's his partner, the one that will stand by him through the thick and the thin. He won't have to bear this grief alone—she won't let him. Lucy's heart hardens with determination as she swears that she will be there for and with him every step of the way.

Yet, right now he deserves to be alone with his thoughts. That's what she would want and something he obviously wants by the way he dismissed her so coldly. A night to himself will help sort out his feelings and make him more focused on the days to come. She'll be there to help him pick up the pieces tomorrow. With a deep breath and a firm nod, Lucy solidifies her resolve and begins to walk home.

Once Laxus arrives to his home after a long slow walk filled with self-reflection, he tosses off his coat and carefully lays the files on the coffee table in the living room.

Needing some physical and emotional relief from the day's events, Laxus strips out of his shirt and heads outside for some training. Stepping into his backyard, Laxus starts with some hand-to-hand combat training before he begins his magical training. Punches and jabs are made in swift motions through the air before he jumps and twirls around to land a rapid kick to the open air.

Laxus went into Iosif Krupin's office completely unaware of what trials awaited him. Now he understands that he has to go through _everything_ that his gramps has ever owned. That means that he has to go through not only his grandfather's personal belongings but most of his family's belongings as well.

Laxus knows he doesn't have a lot of knowledge or experience when it comes to dealing with emotional things. Usually he can bypass it by being apathetic and not making the situation any more awkward than possible. But now he has to deal with his _family_. There is no hiding or pretending with this. He has _literally_ seen, known, and dealt with this shit all of his life. He will have no choice but to take everything head on and he is unsure about how to handle the onslaught.

The memory of Lucy smiling and holding his hand at the office earlier arises in Laxus' mind. A faint smile makes a way onto his lips as he can feel tension from the anxiety of delving into his family's history leave his shoulders and back.

Of course she'll help him. She'll jump at any chance to help him. Plus, she's been through this whole funeral thing once already for her mom and dealt with the same grief that's he's been subjected to over the past six months.

Hell, he'll be shocked if she isn't here before he has the chance to wake up in the morning.

Pushing aside his thoughts, Laxus concentrates on his training.

* * *

The sun is almost past the water on the lake when Laxus finishes training. He is covered in sweat and stench as he trudges inside to take a shower.

The shower is fast and necessary; the hot water doing wonders for his sore shoulders and cramped back muscles.

Toweling off his body, he pulls on a clean pair of underwear, a tank top, and a pair of sleeping pants. With a resigned sigh, Laxus decides that he should at least get everything sorted before Lucy comes over tomorrow.

Once downstairs, he grabs a couple of beers from the refrigerator before seating himself on his couch.

Laxus selects the first folder with all of gramp's funeral arrangements. He scowls deeply before taking a deep breath and opening the folder. Just like he saw at the lawyer's office, everything is pretty well laid out for him.

With a swig of his beer Laxus debates his options. One, he can throw the papers away because they are practically useless now because they are no bodily remains. Two, he could try to use the ground plot for some reason or another. Or three, he can ask Lucy in the morning what she thinks.

 _Three sounds good_ , he decides with another swig.

Putting the whole folder off the side, he creates a pile that is solely reserved for "Lucy's Assistance". He grabs the second folder and groans when he opens it up. A part of him instantly wants to put the whole folder into Lucy's pile but he refrains. Heaving a deep tired sigh, Laxus takes the first page and looks over it.

It is an IOU from the old man to Bob, the Master of Blue Pegasus for a sum total of ten-thousand jewel…

Another thick groan rumbles in Laxus' chest before he places the paper down on one side of the table. _Just fucking great._

That marks the beginning of the next four hours of reading, sorting, and marking. Moans and curses are made by the man as he swears internally for having to go through this shit.

By the end of the folder, Laxus has made eight separate piles: To Be Completed, Special, Trash, To Be Filed, Completed, Lucy's Assistance, Unsure, and Personal.

The "To Be Completed" and "Lucy's Assistance" piles were by far the biggest out of the eight. Laxus cursed his grandfather for the umpteenth time that evening as he went into the kitchen to get another beer.

Almost all of the papers were monotonous and encrypted with legal language. After reading the third set of terms and conditions, Laxus just tossed those aside and refused to read any more of those types.

The only really interesting paper was when the blonde man found a life insurance policy that lists him as a benefactor. Turns out that Laxus will receive six-hundred and fifty thousand jewel from the policy.

To say that Laxus was completely and utterly dumfounded is a vast understatement.

Who knew the old man had that much money?

Not that he needs it or anything; he has plenty of money from all of the S-Class jobs he's taken over the years but that's beside the point. The point is that he had absolutely no fucking clue about this and yet there it is.

Laxus made sure to put that one in the "Special" pile.

Grabbing himself his fifth beer, Laxus reseats himself on his couch and pulls out the third manila folder—the one that contains the Will. Out of the three folders Laxus is the most hesitant about this one. Iosif said there were some personal papers and deeds in there so they need to be read too but if they are anything like the Will then he is in for a hell of an emotional time.

Pulling out the stack to sit on his coffee table, he sets aside the Will in the "Personal" pile before looking over the other content.

The first thing he sees is a picture that is attached a group of notices. The notices list off the names of Bob, Goldmine, Porlyusica, and Yajima, and look to be funeral announcements. The picture is when his gramps was younger and had a team of five gathered around him.

Laxus swallows the ball in his throat when he sees the picture of his grandfather in his younger years. Laxus does have a strong resemblance to Makarov, doesn't he?

With a sigh, Laxus puts the stack in the "Personal" pile.

He pulls out the next paper which turns out to be a list. At the top it reads, "Give this list to the next Master of Fairy Tail so they don't screw everything up!"

Laxus lightly chuckles as he reads through the list. It's mostly about how to run the guild hall and where everything is located. A special note is made at the bottom to not let the guild get destroyed again, something Laxus smirks at.

Tossing the list into the "Special" pile, Laxus grabs a medium sized yellow envelope. He unties the string at the top and pulls out a folded piece of paper and a thick white envelope. The piece of paper is labeled 'Read First' on the front so Laxus sets aside the thick envelope and opens up the page.

 _To Laxus,_

 _I was hoping that you would never have to read this note for many reasons but the main reason is that I always wished to be able to give the enclosed envelope to you in person._

 _Please do not hate me for withholding the letter from you. I planned on giving it to you when you had a child of your own. I was instructed to give it to you when the time was right and I felt that would be the proper time._

 _All I ask of you is that you read the entire letter. You may do what you wish with it after you are finished._

 _From Makarov_

Laxus furrows his eyebrows in mild confusion as he finishes the note. He puts the note aside as he eyes the white envelope that apparently holds a letter of some kind. Heaving a deep uncertain sigh, he rips the top off of the white envelope. His eyes slightly widen as he pulls out ten pages of neatly folded paper. He unfolds the papers and a picture flops out to land face down on the table. With a curious hum he picks up the picture and flips it over, only to feel his whole body stiffen.

In the photo, there is a picture of a woman hugging a little blonde baby boy in a blue blanket. She cradles him close to her chest and is slightly tilting her head to nuzzle her cheek along his forehead. Shoulder length blonde hair is slightly blowing in the wind as a gentle smile is spread over her lips and her big soft eyes peer up to look directly at the onlooker. Despite only seeing her from the waist up, Laxus can tell that she is wearing a rose colored dress and that she is somewhere in the forest. It is a picturesque scene of a mother holding her child with all of the care and love in the world.

Laxus can feel his heart tremble and clench inside of his chest for an unknown reason. His free hand unconsciously rises to clutch where his heart lies. Time seems to slow down as he stares down at the small photograph. The beautiful and sweet scene seems so captivating to him but he does not have the faintest idea why. He memorizes the lines of the woman's face as well as all of the colors—her deep orange eyes, light flaxen hair, pale skin, faint pink blush, and neutral soft lips.

Looking pointedly away from the picture at the pages he immediately sees feminine writing all over the front of every page. With a nervous sigh he sets the picture aside and settles his elbows on the table to read the note.

 _To my beloved Laxus,_

 _I do not know if you will have any memory of me or know of me as you read this letter. I do not know the date in which you will read this nor your age. I also do not know what, if anything was ever said about me. But those things do not matter now._

 _Just in case you have no recollection of me, my name is Hope. I do not remember my last name nor is it significant._

 _I am your mother; the woman who gave birth to you at 11:49 p.m. on May 5, 761._

 _As I write these words, I am dying of some unknown disease. Your grandfather and I still hold onto a small fragment of hope that a miracle will save me but I wrote this note as if it will be my last. Perhaps, since you are reading this, it is._

 _If I have passed away and you do remember me, please do not mourn me. I have gone to a better place to meet my Makers. I have lived a happy life and I do not regret any of the decisions I have made. The only thing I regret is that I must leave you behind._

 _After you were born, I have begun to dream of everything that I wish to experience with you. Your first smile, your first steps, your first word…I dream of all of these things. Every day that I spend with you are the greatest days of my life. I hope that I will be able to continue with my happiness for as long as I am allowed but I fear that will not be for much longer._

 _Every person has a purpose in this world. For some it is to change the world, while for others it is to be a mere passing stranger. I always thought that my purpose was to serve my church and to guide those who are lost. Then I had you._

 _The moment that you were born, I knew that I had been wrong. My purpose in this life was not for my church or those to whom I pledged my allegiance. It was so that I could bear you._

 _When I held you, I knew that you would grow to be special. I felt it in my soul. I do not know what the Gods have planned for you but I can rest in peace knowing that you will do something amazing. I have faith that you will learn of your purpose and fulfill it to the best of your abilities._

 _Knowing that this could be the last words of mine you read, I wish impart onto you some life lessons that I learned at the beginning of my life but never understood until it became too late._

 _The Gods work in mysterious ways, Laxus. Something small or insignificant can become the pinnacle of your world within a split second. Never take anything for granted for this reason. Everything and everyone in life is a gift and should be treated as one._

 _Everything that happens in our lives happens for a reason. Do not fear change or opposition. Sometimes it is to teach us a lesson, make us stronger, or to test us. Everyone makes mistakes and falls down on the road of life. Do not let this discourage you; rise to your feet and try again. At certain points you will feel absolutely lost and hopeless but do not give up. Those are the moments that you begin to grow as a person. Let the light shine into your soul and guide you down new paths to new opportunities. You might find everything you have ever wanted._

 _Always appreciate those who share their love with you and reciprocate their love with your own. People that you meet in your life can all be categorized like a tree. You are the trunk while everyone you meet is the sections of the tree. Some are leaves, where they are only meant to be a part of your life for a season and are to be let go in the end. Others are branches; people who you can rely on for some requests but not others. Be careful to not overburden them because they will break and abandon you when you need them the most. Do not hate these people, this is their purpose. Then there are the roots. These people support and nourish you even when you have no need of them. Never let these people go, Laxus. They are the reason we live, the reason we are not alone, the reason for our happiness. Always cherish their love and become a root to their tree._

 _Enjoy everything about your life. Do not forget to appreciate everything the Gods have created for you, everything from the smallest insect to the biggest ocean. Do not forget to have fun; not everything should be treated like a business. Find fulfillment in the simple things._

 _Love with all of your power and never be afraid to fall in love. Falling in love can be terrifying; you must become vulnerable and open to harm. And I know that is a horrifying thought but do not fear. The right person will make you feel empowered and strong, not weak or useless. They make your heart soar and your stomach flutter while calming your soul and relaxing your mind. They will never hurt you purposefully. And most of all; they are a person whom you believe to be better than you and will make you a better man. You do not deserve anything less. Once you find someone, love them with all of your heart and with every ounce of passion. Treat them how you wish to be treated and love them how you wish to be loved._

 _Finally, there is nothing in this world that will prepare you for how much you will love your children. I thought I understood how much love my heart could contain but I was horribly mistaken. No words can describe what you will feel the day when your child is born. Your life up to that point ceases to exist and a new, better life takes its place. Be a good father to your children and love them without boundaries._

 _It is my deepest wish that you follow these words. However, no matter what happens I want you to know a simple fact._

 _I love you._

 _I will always love you with the deepest recesses of my heart and every particle of my soul._

 _Whether you are the most successful man or the lowliest bum in the world; whatever path you may follow and wherever you may be. In the sunlight or the rain, on the brightest days or darkest nights, you will always be my son and I will always love you._

 _Never question or doubt this._

 _I will watch over you from Heaven and I will see you when it is your time to join me and we will be together again. Until then, I hope you have the greatest and most fulfilling life possible. I want nothing less for you—my beloved and precious son._

Two drops of water splatter onto the page just as Laxus finishes reading the last words on the first page. A third then a forth drop follow soon after as Laxus stares down at the paper with hollow eyes and slightly parted lips.

Thick streams of tears run over his cheeks and flow down his neck. Shakes wrack his unfeeling body while sniffles and harsh breathing are expelled from his lungs. But Laxus does not feel any of these things. The only thing his mind can comprehend is one earthshattering revelation.

His mother loved him.

Even with the little amount of time she spent with him, his mother loved him.

She found time during her brief time raising him and the strength in her sickly state to leave him with a note of hope and love.

Without conscious thought, Laxus sweeps his eyes to the side where the picture lay. A trembling hand reaches out to bring the little photograph up in front of his face so he can study it again.

Now knowing who the woman in picture truly is, Laxus' entire emotional state floods his soul and body. Every ounce of sorrow, grief, joy, guilt, rage, frustration, numbness, fear, and any other possible emotion attempt to drown the lightning slayer as he breaks down into a mess of sobs and wails.

Seeing a picture of his mother holding him with a look of pure love and happiness on her face… it's just too much…he can't take it…

He waited so long for a moment like what is displayed in the picture. To have one of his parents hold him and tell him that they love him…that's all he ever wanted. Not his grandpa, not a guild member—one of his own parents.

His father was a cruel, psychotic, murdering manic that never showed him an ounce of true care or love as long as he has been alive. The bastard always said that they were family and family always sticks together but that man is no family to him.

Otherwise, his pops would have never physically struck him. "Training", he called it. And he always got away with it too until Laxus finally started fighting back. But that only made the sick bastard even more sadistic. Just gave him an excuse to "train" him harder and longer until Laxus couldn't feel his any part of his body.

Then the nights would come when Laxus was always told how worthless and pathetic he was and how he would never amount to anything. That Laxus didn't deserve anything unless he was strong and he couldn't be strong because he was cursed with a frail body and that he believed in frivolous things like friendship, comradery, and love. Those things will only hold you back from gaining what truly matters—power and money.

Once his old man got bored or sick of him, he would leave him alone for long periods of time without an ounce of care or worry. Then he would return and he would pretend that Laxus was this huge burden that he would have to bear and treated him like one.

But Laxus never thought anything about it. He bore all of the pain and never said a word because that's what you're supposed to do for family. His dad never meant him any true harm; he was honestly just trying to make him a better person. Sure he did stupid stuff all of the time and made some bad mistakes but everyone does that. You forgive family…you do anything for family…and there is no closer family than your dad and grandpa. That's what he was taught to believe.

It was all a bunch of fucking bullshit. Every bit of it.

If he could go back and choose which one of his parents lived or died—he would pick his mom in a heartbeat, without any consideration of his dad at all. And he would base it all on a photo and a letter.

All of the pain, depression, frustration, and anger at his dad boil inside of him while joy, love, surprise, and sadness sweep through him at the thought of his mother. The regret, guilt, and affection toward his grandfather that he hid away in his heart crashes with the other emotions to generate a three-way war of emotion turmoil inside of the lightning dragon slayer.

Yellow magic brightens around the upset man before small flickers of lightning peel off of his skin. A buzzing noise is followed by crackles as more surges of electricity erupt and fade into the tense air.

In the back of his mind Laxus knows that his emotions are getting the best of him. His magic is starting to go haywire because his lack of control and he should get ahold of himself to prevent any damage to his house.

But he can't…

…not this time.

Right now, he wants to expel as much power and feelings as he possibly can. All of these emotions are about to rip him apart and he doesn't want to shove these away anymore. It will cause too much pain, even for him.

In a second Laxus rises from his hair and drops the photo of him and his mother on the table. With a huge crack of thunder, he dematerializes into a bright massive lightning bolt and shoots off toward the mountains that lie a day away from Magnolia. If he is going to cause collateral damage he needs to go somewhere no one will get hurt.

Lucy feels a huge surge of power in her chest and looks out the window just in time to see a lightning bolt shoot across the sky. She didn't see where Laxus went but after she lost sight of him, her chest fills with deeply regressed sadness and loneliness. Tears falls down her cheeks as she curls up in bed and wishes away these horrible feelings.

* * *

Around eight o'clock the next morning Lucy hops up the stairs of Laxus' front porch and knocks on his door. Nothing stirs inside as she waits for a couple of minutes.

"Laxus! Are you here!?" she yells as she knocks again.

Static electricity fills the air and Lucy turns around in time to see a flash of light followed by a boom of thunder to reveal a panting Laxus. His hair is messy and in disarray, his shirt has been torn in various places, and his eyes and face are red and blotchy so it looks like he's been crying all night.

"Laxus?" Lucy asks worriedly as her brow creases in concern.

"Don't worry," he mumbles as he steps past her to open the door.

Lucy watches the man open the door with deep uneasiness in her heart. Without thinking she reaches out and wraps her arms around his arm to stop him from entering the house.

"Are you okay?" she asks tenderly as if he will break down right in front of her.

Laxus slowly turns his eyes to gaze at her face.

Lucy immediately sees how calm and unencumbered he is by the boundless clearness in his eyes. Like he has let go of so much pain and suffering that has plagued him for so long. An inaudible gasp wisps out of her lungs as her soul reaches out toward him with love and comfort.

The blonde man looks down at his partner with a blank expression. He spent most of the night releasing his energy and emotions in the mountains. Everything was so twisted and intertwined that it turned out to be a lot of screaming, crying, and electrocuting. He's pretty sure a mountain is missing from where it was located yesterday.

But fuck does he feel better. Better than he has in a long fucking time. It feels like these boulders have been lifted from his chest and he can breathe again. It's one of the greatest feelings—to not feel burdened and hurt.

He thought that he had come to terms with everything while he was exiled but when he read that letter all of that pain arose once more. Anger, frustration, betrayal all sunk into his soul and he just released lightning bolt after lightning bolt in his attempt to finally rid himself of those dark emotions. Sorrow and grief hit him as he remembered his mother's words and caused his emotions to begin to spiral out of control. Then the deep seated guilt and regret from harming his grandfather and guild began to appear and he just fucking lost it. He can't really remember anything during that time. Only how much everything hurt and how he wanted all of these feelings and memories to leave him alone.

He didn't want to feel that way any longer. He just couldn't take it anymore. So he pushed out every bit of anger and sadness through every orifice in his body for hours on end. Tears flooded his eyes while roars echoed amongst the mountainsides as he finally let everything go.

Laxus fell to his knees as the painful and harmful emotions left a hollow hole in his heart. Then all of the positive emotions that his mother and grandfather created began to fill those damaged sections. The warmth and love they exhibited began to sooth the wounds that were ripped open so violently. He just allowed the calmness and affection to soak into his being and he relished every second of it. He's not sure how long he stayed that way because he was so lost in the sensations.

Eventually, reality came back to him as he saw the sun beginning to rise over the mountains. At that moment, with the beginning of the new day, he swore that he would start anew.

No more fury and no more sorrow. He won't let his past control him and hold him down any longer.

If he is going to handle all of his family's dealings then he is going to have to deal with the drama that comes with it and he can't do that if he gets angry at being reminded what happened to him during his childhood. He just had to decide that he isn't going to get upset anymore. New things will appear and he'll feel angry or sad about them but he will deal with it.

A wave of relief loosened his muscles and relaxed his soul at the silent but firm declaration. For once in his life, he finally felt like he is somewhat at peace with himself. He stay like that for a while; basking in the warm rays of the dawn's sunshine. After a while, he rose from his knees and wrapped his magic around him to go home.

Now as he looks down at his partner, he can't help but feel happy that he has her in his life. He will always have his family in Fairy Tail and Lucy is will always be with him. That thought alone brings him warmth and ease.

There is still some pain, hurt, anger, and sadness but it's manageable now. He has a long way to go but at least he's taking the first steps to moving forward from his past.

"No…no, not by a long shot…but I'm better," Laxus answers honestly with a small smile.

"And you'll keep getting better too," she softly reassures him with a delicate smile and a light nod.

Laxus smiles gently and nods in return. _Yeah…yeah, it will…._

"Are you hungry?" Lucy asks quietly as they walk into the kitchen.

"Starving," Laxus replies.

"Go lie down and rest for a while. I'll cook you something to eat," Lucy insisted as she points to his room.

"Nah, I've got some more papers to go through," he says as flicks his thumb over his shoulder toward the living room. "I'll take the food offer though."

Lucy huffs and crosses her arms under her abundant chest. "I think you should rest. But if you're going to be pig-headed about it then I'll make you some breakfast. Don't do anything strenuous while you wait," she chastises the larger man.

Laxus smirks and chuckles at the imposing tone in the smaller blonde. _She's starting to get the voice down_ , he thinks humorously to himself. Before they became partners she sounded like a kitten playfully hissing at her target whenever she argued with him but now she has really started to sound threatening. He guesses that he is starting to rub off on her.

"Alright. I'll be in the living room," he tosses over his shoulder as he walks out of the kitchen.

Lucy scowls at her stubborn partner before sighing and tying on an apron.

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what happened last night?" Lucy asks as she joins Laxus on the couch after she cleaned the dishes from breakfast. It's been over two hours and she has just been dying to know what all transpired last night.

Laxus side eyes her for a moment before reaching over and grabbing a set of papers and a picture.

"Read the first page," he instructs as he hands them to her. After she takes them he leans back against the couch and crosses his arms and closes his eyes. He doesn't want to deal with all of this alone and Lucy will understand what he's going through. She's been raised by a neglecting father and loved by her mother—if there is anyone who will understand him, it's her.

Lucy looks at the photo first. "Is this you?" she asks inquisitively.

Laxus nods once in confirmation.

"Is that your mom?"

Another nod.

Lucy looks down at the small photo again. "She's beautiful," she admits honestly.

A small ball of sadness clumps in his throat and he swallows to dislodge it. "Thanks,' he whispers.

Lucy's eyes soften as she remembers that she is on a very sensitive subject. She takes a few minutes to read the first page of letter. The handwriting is beautiful and the words are articulate. It's an extremely sentimental and personal letter that is meant to give wisdom and hope to this woman's only son. By the end, Lucy is in tears.

"That's wonderful," Lucy sobs as she wipes her tears with the back of her hand.

Laxus remains unmoving against the back of the couch with a frown stretched over his lips. "Can you read what's on the other pages out loud? I didn't get the chance to read them last night," he asks quietly without opening his eyes.

Lucy looks up at him in surprise before melting into an understanding look. "Sure," she agrees as she switches pages.

"All of these words have been written before in previous entries…" Lucy begins with a deep breath as she reads what is left of Laxus' mother's message.

The remaining pages are Hope's small autobiography. There are more detailed writings littered throughout her numerous diaries so he can always go and read those if they still exist. She wanted to give him a brief overview of her life in case all of her belongings were lost or destroyed.

Hope was orphaned when she was a baby and taken in by the church. She never knew her parents, the only parental figures she ever had were the fathers and nuns of the church. She was born with a poor immune system so she was far more susceptible to various illnesses than other children her age. That being said, the nuns Hope grew up with kept her away from most people so she at least be somewhat healthy.

As Hope grew up, she took classes in reading, history, writing, arithmetic, and politics as well attended church functions and responsibilities. The one thing she loved the most was writing. She kept diaries that detailed everyday happenstances and brief overviews of what she learned in her studies. Eventually she became a nun in the church at the age of sixteen.

She moved to from church to church until she was assigned to the Kardia Cathedral in Magnolia when she was twenty-five. She was very excited and nervous. She was going to be the only nun in the entire church so she was being handed a huge responsibility.

When she arrived to Magnolia, she was amazed by the amount of people that reside in the town. She has only ever seen rural towns with no more than five hundred people at a time so this was a whole new experience for her.

It took some time but she eventually grew accustomed to her new location. The church kept her busy most of the time but she was allowed to do what she pleased with her free time.

Then she met Ivan Dreyar on a sunny day. The pastor asked the local wizard guild to help with some deliveries and their first meeting was during his visit.

They talked several times when he came by the church for deliveries after that day. He never seemed to care that she was frail or partly sick and that overjoyed her. Then he asked her to join him for dinner when it was late one night and they were both hungry. It was the first of several outings they had. She enjoyed herself and eventually found herself yearning for his presence continuously.

She wasn't sure what exactly captivated her about him but she was truly entranced. He was just so different than anyone she had ever met. He had this air that radiated confidence and certainty. While he had made some mistakes, she was positive that he wasn't a bad person at heart.

Hope began to have emotional conflicts at this point. She wanted to continue to see Ivan but she also swore herself to her church. She had dedicated her whole life to this cause and she always thought it was her destiny yet the raven-haired man made her doubt everything she believed in.

Eventually, Ivan convinced her to leave the church. She did it so she could be with him.

Soon afterwards she discovered she was pregnant.

She was overwhelmed with joy and elation at the thought of bearing a child. She never thought she would be blessed with a child due to being spending her life in the church and her general frailness. Yet there she was carrying the child of the man she loved.

Makarov was over the moon with happiness when he heard the news. Ivan was angry at first but then he accepted it after a few months. The two men fought a lot but Hope prayed that her child would bring them together.

May 5th arrived and Hope gave birth to Laxus Dreyar.

Makarov was anxiously waiting outside the delivery room and was the first person besides Hope to hold Laxus. Ivan was away on business at the time so he missed the birth of his son, much to Hope's disappointment.

Shortly afterwards, she became horribly ill with an unknown disease. Hope and Makarov tried every measure possible to cure her but nothing seemed to work. Believing that she might not have much more time left in the world, she decided to write a letter to her son. She instructed Makarov to give the letter to Laxus when he thought the time was right because she trusted his judgement.

At the end of the letter she wrote again that she will always be watching over him and to never forget that he has her love in everything he does. The signature "From your loving mother, always and forever, Hope. September 16, 761" is signed at the very bottom.

Lucy chokes back a sob as she covered her mouth with one of her hands. It was such a beautiful letter and sentiment that she can't help but cry.

"That's the first time I ever saw my mom or read anything she ever sent to me," Laxus states after Lucy wipes away her tears. "I got really emotional about it. Felt a lot of different emotions all at once but the biggest one was anger at my dad. I went to the mountains to vent. I came to terms with everything so now I feel a hell of a lot better."

"Your dad?" Lucy asked hesitantly as she clenches her hand against her chest.

"Yeah," Laxus sighs. He sits up and puts his elbows on his knees and says, "Remember how you told me the story of your dad neglecting you?"

Lucy flinches slightly at the memory but nods her head regardless.

"Well my pops was no better. He never gave a damn about me or gramps his entire life. Still doesn't. Yet my mom loved me more than he ever did during the small amount of time she was alive. I just…I just felt so cheated. Like I was left with the wrong parent. Still do," Laxus explains in a somber voice.

Lucy bites on her bottom lip as the corner of her eyes sag from sadness. "What happened?" she asks in a hushed voice.

A part of her doesn't feel like she deserves to know about his pain. It's very private and she doesn't want him to feel obligated into telling her just because she asked. He's been through so much in so little of an amount of time and she doesn't want to bring up any painful memories for the sake of her curiosity.

Laxus' scowl deepens before taking a deep breath. "Gramps took care of me for most of my life. My dad was almost never there. He would take these jobs…" Laxus starts as he tells his life story to his partner.

Lucy listened intently to every word that fell from Laxus' lips. Understanding, sadness, sympathy, and anger fills her soul as she begins to understand what has made Laxus into the man that he is today. She had no idea what he had been through and she can't help but want to hug him and take all of the pain away.

Lucy and Laxus stayed in his house for the rest of the day talking about his family and experiences. It was relieving for Laxus to finally confide in someone else about his feelings. It even felt good. Lucy continued to sit there with him and listened to all of his thoughts, history, and problems without judgment or interruption. His thankfulness for the celestial mage now knows no bounds and he really owes her for dealing with him.

She was happy to do it though. She remembers how it felt to be alone while she dealt with the grief of losing her mom and she wouldn't wish that on anyone in the world. He has a lot of emotional buildup to sift through and it's going to take a long time to deal with everything. If he ever needs a friendly shoulder or a willing ear to listen to his problems, she'll be right there beside him.

Laxus feels another wave of peace release in his soul as he Lucy starts to vocally relate to his feelings. The similarities and comparisons allowed him sympathize with the blonde woman to the point that he doesn't feel so alone.

Both Fairy Tail mage become even closer friends that day as they develop a new appreciation and understanding for one another that neither has ever experienced throughout their lives.

Lucy winds up spending the night so they can get started bright and early tomorrow morning on all of the paperwork and family business. There is a lot to go through after all.

That night Laxus takes his new picture upstairs and lays it on his bedside table. He's going to get a small picture frame for it tomorrow.

"Goodnight mom…I love you too," Laxus whispers into the peaceful night before he dreams about walking through the forest with the woman in the rose colored dress.

 **Did anyone else cry? Because I cried…hard. Listening to soft violin and piano really brought out the waterworks too.**

 **Have you ever had a really good crying session or screaming session where you just cry or scream until everything is out of your system? Then afterwards you feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. That's basically what I wanted to put Laxus through.**

 **If you haven't tried this, I highly recommend it. Just yell at the wall or cry in your room if you have to. It'll help get all of those feelings out.**

 **Sorry this took so long for me to post this. I have really been in the mood to write happy humorous stuff so I've been working on my other story Just When You Have It All Figured Out instead of this one.**

 **If you are wondering about Ivan and Hope's past or why Ivan seems like a goody two-shoes, don't worry! There are some blanks that will be answered in the future.**

 **Anyway I hope you like the chapter and feel free to drop me a line and follow and/or favorite if you haven't already!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

Lucy's eyes slowly rove over the room. Everything seems orderly enough, albeit quite dusty; something to be expected when nothing has been touched for the past six months. She leans forward slightly to poke her head into the room. With a small twist of her neck she looks along the walls as she continues her slow observation. Nothing resides on the walls and the only major thing in the room is the square table in the middle of the room.

Laxus looks back over his shoulder to see Lucy standing just beyond the doorway with a look of hesitant curiosity all over her face.

"Would you come on? I'm not getting any younger here," Laxus sighs in exasperation.

Lucy flicks her eyes toward him and pouts childishly. "It's weird," she replies in an attempted explanation but still remains outside the door.

Laxus narrows his eyes in mild annoyance on the young woman. "You're the one who wanted to help organize everything," he reminds her. "If you're not going to come in then you might as well go home or go back to the guild."

Lucy frowns and crosses her arms as she straightens her back. She steps over the threshold as she says, "Well, excuse me for finding it weird that I'm inside of Master Makarov's home. It feels like I'm intruding."

A snort escapes Laxus before he can help it. "What's gramps going to do? Jump out of the closet with all of the other ghosts that haunt this place?" he jokes with a smirk.

Lucy's eyes comically widen and a shiver runs down her spine. "That's not funny Laxus," she chides as her expression melts into a menacing glare when she realizes that he's kidding.

He lets out a bark of laughter at the poor girl's expense. Laxus has discovered that Lucy hates anything associated with traditional horror. Ghosts, skulls, voodoo, monsters…you name it, she hates it. It always cracks him up when he get a rise out of here that way.

"Relax," he tells her as his face returns to its normal indifferent frown. "If gramps haunts any place, it'll be the old house because of how much crap he's got there. Not this shack-of-a-house."

Lucy gives him a skeptical glance before sighing.

The last three weeks for the two blondies have been filled with meetings and traveling.

The first few days following the afternoon they went to Mr. Krupin's office, Lucy and Laxus spent their time organizing the files he gave them before they set off to handle all of Makarov's unfinished business.

Laxus did some more introspection in that time. While his memories are still painful, he doesn't refuse to acknowledge the emotions anymore. He's trying to be more open with himself and while it is difficult, he's at least _trying_. Attempting to alter your entire mindset on how to emotionally handle your past is a tremendously difficult thing to do.

Before his declaration, he would just push aside his feelings so he wouldn't have to deal with them or do it for someone else's benefit. Emotions were just never his strong suit so he always held an apathetic mask and buried his feelings.

Then people began to think that he was incapable of feeling anything.

The fact that he doesn't react to emotions the same way as everyone else doesn't mean that he doesn't experience the emotions in the first place. He has always felt angry or sad or happy or excited or worried, he just didn't know how to show it.

His dad taught him not to experience emotion of any kind. So he pushed his feelings away to make his dad happy even if he secretly didn't want to. That way of thinking made him cautious, introverted, and cold toward everyone throughout the years. After all, friends and acquaintances will only hold you back. Worrying about others will only stop him in the accusation of power and power is what truly matters.

This mindset eventually caused his fear of being humiliated and embarrassed if he tried to talk to new people and staved off any abrupt urge to try to make friends. The Thunder Legion was the sole exception due to their persistence of staying by his side.

No matter how many times they annoyed or irritated him, there were always moments filled with happiness and joy that they gave him. It was too late by the time he began to truly appreciate their loyalty and importance in his life because he was sent away from the guild. Then they died before he was able to see them one last time.

It hurt. It hurt like nothing that he has ever experienced before. It felt like someone cut off a piece of his heart, crushed it into a thousand pieces, and scattered the dust into the ocean. But he didn't try to hide it from himself. How can he tell himself that he wasn't devastated when the people that swore to follow him to Hell and back have disappeared from his life forever? He couldn't…he just couldn't. It wasn't right. That pain was the first huge break in the tradition of hiding away his emotions.

But his mountain of emotional denial truly crumbled when the Will and the letter came along. His grandpa's hope, his mother's love, his dad's sadism, and his own sadness just became too much for him to bear. Following his breakdown, he realized that it feels a hell of a lot better to accept emotions and move on from them than to hold them inside.

So now he's going to face the emotions instead of running away. He's not going to be afraid of feeling hurt or sad or angry with himself. It's not a weakness to feel any of those emotions; it doesn't make him any less of a man. He's going to accept everything and move on from them so they won't hold him down any longer. It'll be better for him in the short and long runs and he has to do what's best for him.

He's still not comfortable with the idea of opening up to a complete stranger. He honestly thinks that he will never get to that point. The cautious introverted side of him is just too ingrained into his personality by this point in his life. Maybe later in his life he won't feel that way but not right now. If he does want to make changes to that particular mindset, it will have to be done very slowly and over a long period of time.

All in all, his new way of thinking is not going to change who he is or how he acts in a major way; it will just make him not feel so burdened by everything that has happened so far or will happen.

But saying that you're going to do all of those things is a lot easier than actually doing them. He has to stop himself from falling back into old habits while not going so far out of his comfortable zone that he feels like he needs to withdraw once more.

One such instance was when he remembered how his pops "accidentally" broke his hand while he was "training" and he could feel fury bubble in his veins at the memory. Laxus stopped himself from burying the horrible feeling and forced himself to endure it, no matter how much his body or heart protested. Once he began to feel the emotion waver and disperse as he accepted what happened, he felt a lot better. He hasn't been able to forgive his dad for that incident but at least he won't get overly angry at that particular memory in the future because he has acknowledged it now.

The forgiveness step will take a much longer time period to achieve. At least that is what Lucy said. He's still somewhat reluctant about that. He's still has a long way to go but he's coming to terms with his past one day at a time.

Lucy, on the other hand, had both given Laxus attention and space when he needed it. She understood that he was going through a very emotional time and that he needed to accept everything at his own pace. Laxus is a fully grown man who is a very accomplished wizard, incredibly independent, has strong finances, and probably the most powerful person she knows…yet she couldn't shake the idea that he felt like a sad five year old orphan the day that they went to read the Will.

In one day he was faced with the aftereffects of the death of the grandfather that he loved so much and as if that is not hard enough, he also finds out that the parent he never got the chance to know loved him with all of her heart. In that one day he felt like he lost both of the parents that loved him and was left with the parent that will not have anything to do with him.

That is a fate that Lucy doesn't wish on anyone due to the fact that she had to endure it herself. That's why she refused to let him suffer alone. She was there for any support he could have ever wanted. If he wanted to talk then they talked. If he wanted to be alone then she left him alone. It was very simple and seemed to do him a world of good.

After they got everything organized, they spent the next two and half weeks running around Fiore clearing up any paperwork, debts, and miscellaneous duties pertaining to the files that Makarov left behind. Laxus received the life insurance money and was told to do with it what he would—something that left Lucy utterly shocked as well as heavily annoyed. Shocked from how much money he got and annoyed from how she wishes that she could just receive six-hundred and fifty jewel from out of thin air as well.

After three weeks everything was addressed except for two items: the funeral arrangements and the deeds to the houses and the lands that Laxus now owns. For the funeral arrangements they decided to wait to make any decisions on that subject because neither one of them really knows what to do. For the lands and the houses they decided that they should go clean out everything and take an inventory before they make any final calls on Makarov's personal belongings.

Apparently Makarov owned the deeds to four sections of land, something Laxus did not know entirely about. Two plots are in Magnolia (the ones Laxus was aware of), one in a town named Razdol'noye, and one in a village named Blackstone Beach (the two that Laxus knew nothing about). Lucy suggested that they go through everything in the houses in Magnolia before going to the other towns since he knew where those are exactly. Laxus wholeheartedly agreed.

Today is the day that Laxus brought Lucy over to Makarov's first house: the small apartment he was living in when he passed away. Better to go ahead and get the simple one done before moving on to the more time consuming one. The little apartment consisted of a small living room that lead into a small kitchen on one side and a bedroom on the other side. A basic bathroom was connected to the bedroom. It's the perfect home for a little old man that was practically never there.

Laxus decided to wear a tight black sleeveless shirt and loose dark green cargo pants while Lucy is wearing a simple pink tank top and denim shorts so they can move and clean everything without ruining their good clothes. They also brought some cardboard boxes and wooden crates should there be any need to take anything out of the house that wasn't going to be put into the garbage.

"Okay then," Lucy claps her hands together before looking around the room, "where do we start?"

"You can start in the kitchen. Just pull everything out. I'm going to start in the bedroom," Laxus sighs in the most unenthused way possible. He is _not_ looking forward to going through the old man's drawers. The mere thought of finding his old man's porn collection brings him utter dread.

"Alright," she replies with a nod in determination.

They go their separate ways. Lucy finds the kitchen barren except for a few plates, glasses, and bowls. It would seem that the Third Master of Fairy Tail lived frugally.

She gathers everything and takes them to the living room table to place them in groups. She then gathers everything from the living room that are along the shelves and on top of the table: a mortar and pestle, several potions of some kind that Lucy is not entirely sure are safe, notes with messy handwriting, a chipped plate, and an old Sorcerer Weekly magazine. Placing everything together on the table in the living room, she finds some rags and cleaning supplies and begins to clean the kitchen before moving on to the living room.

Meanwhile, Laxus is going through his grandfather's belongings in the bedroom. He has pulled off the white bedsheets and pillow sheets and piled them on the floor. A separate pile has been made for all of gramp's clothes; which was basically made by Laxus grabbing everything out of the old man's drawers in one large bundle and throwing them on the floor beside the sheets. A few other items lay around the room and Laxus quickly lays those inside of a box to take to the living room to collaborate with Lucy's piles. Nothing too personal catches Laxus' eye and he figures that all of the _really_ important stuff is at the old house.

Both blondes spend the rest of the day cleaning the little home and moving everything into the living room. Once everything has been gathered and cleaned they throw away any unnecessary items or store anything of value, be it monetary or personal. The sun is beginning to set by the time Lucy and Laxus finish.

"Let's come by tomorrow morning and put everything into the storage unit before heading over to the old house," Laxus says with his typical indifferent frown.

"Right," Lucy agrees with a nod.

* * *

The summer's bright afternoon sunshine lights the entire town of Magnolia the next day. Both blondes have taken the small amount of Makarov's belongings from his apartment to the storage unit that Laxus has set up and are currently on their way to the old house with a load of empty crates and boxes.

Laxus directs them along a path to the edge of the south side of town. Lucy predicts that it would take about half an hour to walk to the guild since they are on the opposite side of Magnolia.

"Hey Laxus? Why did the Master live all the way out here? I thought he would live closer to the guild," Lucy wonders out loud as she looks up at her partner.

Laxus scoffs at the woman's assumption. "And risk having his house invaded by guild members? He would rather walk across town and know that no one will bother him instead of not walking and having random members show up in the middle of the night. Not to mention how the buildings that are closer to the guild tend to be easy accessible to damage from our guildmates," he explains in a bored tone.

Lucy's lips form an O in understanding. That's actually pretty smart.

Five minutes later they reach the house.

It lies at the end of a street with houses on both sides. Only two more roads and rows of houses separate it from the forest. Every house has a front yard with fences around the edges of the properties. Children run around certain yards playing while adults are outside gardening or doing house work. It seems like a pleasant, normal neighborhood.

The only thing that is strange is Makarov's old house.

At the end of the street is a slender, tall home. An old wooden door is placed on the left side of the house with a small window with curtains on the inside next to it. Two bigger curtained windows lie in the middle of the house with the last window being on the third floor in the dead center of steep dark brown tiled roof. The old cream paint on the outside of the house is chipping and looks to have been doing so for more than a couple of decades. The windows are murky and the front yard has turned brown from not having any attention.

"This is the house?" Lucy asks in awe as she stares up at the building in front of her.

"Yep," Laxus tries to reply nonchalantly but a hint of nostalgia slips into his tone. "This is where gramps and my dad lived a long time ago. He moved out years before I was around but he never sold it."

"Have you ever been in there then?" Lucy asks curiously as she looks up at him.

"Just once. Gramps brought me here when I was little because he had to find something he had left behind. When I asked him about where we were he told me that he used to live here when my dad was my age.

Lucy nods mutely in understanding.

"Well let's get started," Laxus sighs as he shakes himself out of his thoughts.

He takes the lead and pulls out the keys to the house that came with the Will. With a snap of the wrist and some key jiggling the front door swings open with a load creak. Laxus walks into the darkness of the house to leave a wide-eyed Lucy standing outside.

Lucy swallows her mild reluctance and follows after the blonde dragon slayer. She cautiously steps over the threshold and her eyes dart around the dimly lit room.

A staircase that leads to the second floor lies directly in front of her; its side becomes the far left wall to the rest of the house and stretches to the back. A large hallway extends through the house with one wall reaching from the front to the back with two closed doors on opposing sides. Dust particles float lazily around in the sunlight from the open door. A thick layer of dust lies undisturbed on the banister.

By the time Lucy's attention is pulled from her surroundings Laxus has walked through the house, opened up all of the doors and windows downstairs so sunlight can bleed through the cloudy windows, and is walking toward the stairs to do the same to the upstairs doors and windows.

"Where should I start?" she asks as he passes her and takes several steps up the stairs.

"Doesn't really matter, anywhere is good," he decides as he looks down at her over his shoulder.

A thoughtful expression crosses her face as her eyes dart to the dust on the banister. The thought of the rest of the house being covered in the same layers of dust and dirt makes her inner cleanliness irk in disgust. She flicks her eyes back up and says firmly, "I think we need to dust the house first, we'll choke otherwise."

"Fine by me," he agrees before continuing up the stairs.

Lucy sighs through her nose as she walks outside to gather the cleaning supplies. The big lesson she learned yesterday while cleaning Makarov's apartment was that she should not be frugal when it comes to cleaning supplies. She made a point to her partner that they needed to buy extra ingredients before they made the trek across town and she is glad that she stressed that idea now.

Walking back inside with two buckets of cleaning supplies in hand, she walks through the house in order to better understand the extent of her new objective.

She goes through the first door to find one large room that extends from the front to the back. The only barrier is the wall that separates the room from the hallway. At the front of the house is a den area with two brown couches, two side tables, and a coffee table. No other furniture or decorations are scattered or laid amongst the walls or floor. At the back of the house lies a simple kitchen. A bar counter lines the exterior of as a means to semi-block it from the rest of the room. Four high barstools lie unbothered underneath the countertop. A refrigerator is on the other side with the sink next to it that lies under a small window. A stove lies along the side wall with the oven directly beside it. No utensils, no pictures, no decorations appear anywhere in the room so everything looks to be almost abandoned.

The really odd thing though is the wallpaper along the side wall. Painted lilacs swirl and bend in patterns across the white background to appear feminine and elegant.

Lucy looks at the wall curiously. One of her small hands reaches up to graze a lilac with her fingertips. The recurring picture on the wall seems so delicate, so out-of-place; as if there should be something in this room that compliments the pretty flowers but was wrongfully removed.

Loud footsteps clunk above her head to signal Laxus' movements upstairs. The sudden noise brings Lucy out of her thoughts and she yanks her hand away from the flowers on the wall. Pushing aside her questions she sets her supplies down and focuses on her task of cleaning the couple of decade's worth of dust scattered on any and every surface.

Laxus descends the stairs and is greeted with the sight of Lucy wiping down the den's table with a rag. He takes the initiative and goes outside to haul all of the crates and box to the backyard so they won't be sitting in the street while he and Lucy clean and work.

The two blondes spend the rest of the day just cleaning the house. They don't try to make it spotless since they know it will get dirty again as they organize all of Makarov's belongings but cleanly enough so they won't be sitting in piles of dirt and dust for the next week.

Laxus brought a small lacrima speaker system so he can play his Sound Pods while he and Lucy work. They cleaned while they listened to classical rock music. Quite surprisingly to the blonde man, his female partner seems to enjoy his taste in music. Sure she isn't a fan of every song he owns, but she does like most of his musical choices. It is such a relief and immense pleasure to him to know that he can listen to his music without bothering her or to know that she won't complain about his favorite genre. There were even times where they had in-depth conversations that left him feeling sublimely happy.

"Hey Laxus," Lucy calls over the guitar solo as she rings out a rag for the hundredth time that day.

Laxus turns the volume down to a low drumming in the background. He hums at her in question.

"Where's all of Master's stuff?" she asks with a disgusted grimace as she sees a huge wet dust clump stick to her hand. "I thought you said that most of his things are here but I haven't seen anything."

It's true.

She has looked all over the house for any sort of personal belongings besides the furniture that the master owned but found nothing. The upstairs is just as barren as the downstairs. Two bedrooms are on the right side of the house; both have beds, bookless bookcases, empty closets, and bare desks. Nothing more.

If she didn't know better, she would have thought that Makarov had just sold all of his stuff.

"I did," he replies. "It's all in the attic. We'll start pulling stuff out tomorrow."

"Attic? There's an attic?"

"Yeah and it looks like a hoarder's hideout too," he sighs sarcastically.

"Can I see it?" her eyebrows furrow in question.

He merely shrugs before turning to head out to the hallway with Lucy following him. With a turn up the stairs, Laxus heads to the right side of the house between the two bedrooms. He points above him to a wooden door in the ceiling.

Stupidity descends on Lucy as she stares up at the little door with a frown. How did she miss that?

Laxus pulls on a small ball that is attached on the end of a piece of string and yanks the door open. A built-in ladder extends with loud obnoxious creaks from the other side of the door to prop against floor. He stands back and nods his head toward the black opening that now replaces where the door once was.

A shiver runs down Lucy's spine as she nervously gulps. The black hole appears menacing and evil from her point of view and greatly discourages the celestial mage from entering the black abyss.

Laxus senses her growing fear and scowls. Raising two fingers toward the hole, lighting swirls around his fingertips until a little compact ball of lightning floats above his hand. Lucy watches with bated curiosity as he magically pushes the ball of light into the hole so the darkness disappears before her very eyes.

Her soul lifts at such a sweet act and a childlike impressed grin spreads across her face as she looks up at her partner.

Laxus can really have his moments of greatness sometimes.

Without the worry of the blackness, Lucy steadies herself and takes careful steps up the ladder. Her head pokes through the hole in the ceiling—which is now technically the floor at this point—and her eyes nearly pop out of her skull.

On every side of her are stacks and stacks and stacks of boxes, furniture, crates, and other items from the floor to the ceiling. Not an inch of space is available as everything is pushed to the edge of her little entrance.

"Holy shit," she swears in amazement and without thinking.

A chuckle slips past Laxus' lips at her very untypical but appropriate response. "The entire attic is like that," he adds as a grin makes its way onto his face.

Lucy's jaw drops and her eyes go wide as saucers. "How did the hell did he fit it all!?" she demands in her awestruck shock.

This time Laxus can't help but let out a booming laugh. She can be quite simpleminded sometimes.

Lucy puffs out her cheeks in irritation as she glares down at the man. "And don't laugh at me you jerk!"

That response only makes the blonde male laugh harder.

* * *

"So you want to put all of the boxes in the den so we can go through them and then distribute everything from that point?" Lucy confirms again as she stares up at Laxus' bottom half from besides the attic ladder.

"Yeah," he grunts as he slides out the first box from the middle of a stack. He cautiously steps down to hand it down to the celestial mage.

Lucy takes it with an umph due to it being heavier than what she anticipated. It looked light when Laxus was handing it to her, after all.

She tightens her grip and steels her muscles before wobbling down the stairs. It takes all of her concentration to not fall and break her skull. She places the box in front of the couch so they can have easy access to it when they are ready to sort.

As she returns to the attic door her face melts into a distraught frown when she sees the five boxes that Laxus has already laid on the floor for her to pick up. A small whine escapes her but she picks up another box anyway.

By the time she returns again Laxus is standing on the second floor with a dozen boxes surrounding him. He effortlessly picks up two boxes without so much as a labored breath and almost glides down the stairs past her.

"Stupid dragon slayer, stupid inhuman strength," she mocks quietly under her breath as she frowns in annoyance.

The two blondes continue this trend until all of the boxes Laxus brought down have been moved to the living room. Now there is enough room for one person to stand in the attic so they can access more boxes when they need to.

Lucy takes one side of the couch while Laxus takes the other. They decided that it would be best to sort out a section of stuff at a time so they don't become overwhelmed with items and lose track of everything. They each have a box positioned in front of them and begin to go through everything Makarov held on to over the years.

Laxus' box contains old bed sheets while Lucy's contains towels and washcloths.

They make the unanimous decision to those things belong in the garbage.

Who's going to want used bed sheets that have been inside of a box gathering dust for over two decades?

That's right. Nobody.

The rest of the day follows this trend. Most of the first boxes were nothing but old fabrics that really have no business being stored in the first place. A couple of the others held some men's clothing that were either too small, too big, or just didn't seem to fit either of the blonde's styles.

They also got tossed in the garbage.

More crates and boxes followed afterwards. Laxus flicked on his music while they worked. Every now and then they would ask the other a question or two about their findings so everything was always approved of by both parties.

By dinner time, they have worked their way through almost twenty boxes and crates. Most of it is junk they more than happily tossed out but there have been some items that they decided to give to charity. Intricate curtain rods, antique lacrima lamps that—much to their complete astonishment—still work at full capacity, and some old chairs are all things they plan on giving away.

Lucy is at the bottom of her box when she finds some picture albums. Her eyes flick upwards to the lilacs on the wall before concentrating back on the books in her lap. A small flicker of hope lights within her soul as she pulls them out. Maybe she'll find some kind of clue or indication within these books.

Slowly opening the cover, Lucy's shoulders slump in dejection when she sees a blank page. So much for finding any answers.

Laxus' stomach growls in hunger. He tosses another torn up lace dolly into the trash with the rest before standing up from the couch. Loud pops and cracks resonate from him as he stretches his spine and cramped legs.

"Hey, you hungry?" he asks Lucy as he twists his neck to ease the stiffness located there.

Silence fills the room as Lucy continues to look through the books in disappointment.

"Hey you listenin'?"

…

"Do you hear me?"

"Uh huh," Lucy mumbles absentmindedly as she continues to flip through the blank albums.

Tired of being ignored, an annoyed scowl spreads over Laxus' face. "What's the matter with you?" Laxus demands in a loud gruff voice.

"Wh-what?" she mummers as she snaps out of her thoughts and looks up at him in surprise.

His scowl becomes deeper. "I said, 'what's the matter'?" he reiterates.

"N-nothing! I'm fine!" she denies with quick shakes of her head.

"Then why did you look as if you were thinking about something?" he asks smugly.

Lucy opens her mouth to reply but shuts it and turns to look thoughtfully at the lilac wallpaper instead. The moment she laid her eyes on that wallpaper that morning made her curiosity from the previous day reappear in her mind. Throughout the day she would catch herself stealing glimpses at the little flowers and momentarily lose her concentration.

Laxus furrows his eyebrows as he follows her eyes to the wallpaper. "You're wondering about the wallpaper?" he asks dumbly as he looks back at her. She remains silent for several long moments and Laxus heaves a heavy tired sigh. "If you hate it that much, I'll get rid—"

"It's not the wallpaper," Lucy interjects him suddenly and defiantly. "I mean it's not the wallpaper _itself_. I just can't help but wonder…" she trails off. She inhales a deep breath before finally turning back to him and says, "I just can't help but think about your grandmother."

Laxus' face drops in surprise and he blinks at her in stupor. "What?" he mumbles in his bafflement.

Lucy rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Sorry Laxus but I can't see Master putting up flowery wallpaper in his home unless he had a good reason to. That only leads me to believe that Master put it up for your grandmother…unless your dad _really_ liked lilacs," she explains with a slight smirk.

Laxus looks between Lucy and the wallpaper and scowls. "My pops is not a fan of flowers so I highly doubt he was the reason," he grumbles.

Lucy giggles before turning back toward the lilacs. "Seeing those purple flowers makes me wonder about her. Who was she? What did she look like? How long did she live here? Where is she now? Haven't you ever thought about her?" she stresses as she sharply turns back toward him in question.

A complicated frown creeps onto his face as he drops his eyes to the floor. "I don't know actually," he admits regretfully. "Gramps and my pops never spoke of her. I asked them about her once when I was a kid; Gramps was dead silent and just stared into space while my dad got so fucking angry that he trained me extra hard that night and forbade me from ever mentioning her again."

Lucy gasps in and covers her mouth with her hands in horror. "Laxus…"

"Never felt like asking after that."

A pregnant silence fills the room; neither one not really knowing what to say in this instance.

"Maybe we'll find something…" she says hesitantly and without looking at him.

"Maybe," he agrees reluctantly.

Not really sure what else to do, Lucy gets off the couch and wraps her arms around his waist. She feels his muscles initially tense but relaxes after a few moments.

"I'm sorry," she whispers comfortingly.

For what exactly, she doesn't know. Everything probably.

Laxus nods mutely and just lets her hold him. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't curious as well. He's wondered those questions more than once in his life but was always too ashamed or afraid to ask them. But now he doesn't need to feel that way. Now he can find about his family and there is nothing or no one that can stand in his way. Knowing that somehow makes the previous pain lessen a degree.

A minute passes before Laxus pulls gently pushes her away and gestures for her to follow him. "Let's just see how it plays out. I'm sure we'll find something in that damn hoarder's nest. Come on, let's get some dinner. No point in starving to death," he says neutrally but with a sense of purpose.

Lucy smiles sadly up at him and nods her head in agreement.

* * *

Over the next several days, Lucy and Laxus gradually get everything moved from the attic to the den and then to its appropriate place: be that either in the trash, off to charity, or into storage.

Lucy had the brilliant idea on the third day of their task to call out Virgo so she can help move everything and to help clean in between times of moving the boxes and crates.

If Virgo has any problem with her duties, she sure doesn't show it. Lucy called out Taurus once instead of Virgo so he can do the heavy lifting while she and Laxus organize but the bull-man only succeeded in punching a bull shaped hole in the attic wall.

They went back to Virgo after that and Lucy refused to call anyone else for the job.

By the fifth day, Lucy has created a system of organization for the boxes and their contents. Everything that has yet to be decided on is in front of the couch, trash gets thrown into the backyard in the trash heap, charity items are placed in the kitchen, and things going into storage are put away in crates and taken out at the end of each day.

It's a simple system and one that allows for great progress. The attic is now half way cleaned out and some of the old furniture in the bedrooms has been given to the orphanage so the kids can have somewhere to sleep and a place to put their belongings.

Lucy is looking through some old magazines for anything of value when Virgo daintily walks down the stairs with a huge chest over her head. Lucy jumps back in horrified surprise as the pink-haired maid drops the thing at her feet with a huge bang.

"Here you are Princess," Virgo says stoically.

Laxus leans through the kitchen door with an annoyed scowl all over his face. "The hell was that?" he demands irritably.

"N-n-nothing!" Lucy stutters frantically as she tries to catch her breath at the same time.

He growls lowly before returning to his task of ordering which boxes will go to the storage unit first.

Lucy groans and slumps back against the couch.

"I shall organize the attic before the blonde man returns," Virgo states with a blank stare.

"Virgo," Lucy sighs in exasperation, "for the hundredth time, his name is Laxus. You can use his name, he won't be offended."

"May I call him Blondie?" she asks with no emotion whatsoever.

Lucy facepalms. "Not unless you want to get electrocuted," she mumbles sarcastically through her hand.

Virgo's eyes gleam at the thought of punishment. "Very well, I shall call him Blondie from now on," she states in her excited voice, which is just her normal voice with an added creepiness factor.

"Virgo…!" Lucy's panicked stricken voice warns.

"Excuse me Princess," she bows neatly as disappears through the door to head back up the stairs.

"Ugh," Lucy groans again as her hand drops to her lap. Her spirit is going to get them both killed if she antagonizes Laxus too much.

Her eyes drop to the wooden crate in front of her. A metal latch holds the lid shut but there seems to be no other locking measures.

With a flick of her wrist and a push she tips the lip backwards. Dust flies into the air from the sudden shaking of the lid. Lucy coughs and waves her hands in front of her face to clear the air from the excess dust.

"Huh?" she mumbles curiously as she tilts her head at the contents of the chest. Inside are piles and piles of photo albums of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Once again, hope flickers in her eyes at the thought of finding something on Laxus' grandmother.

The blonde woman finds it amazing and somewhat creepy how she and Laxus have sorted through half of Makarov's belongings and yet there is not even a mention of Laxus' grandmother. If it wasn't for Laxus' sheer existence, Lucy would be prone to believe that Makarov never had a wife or lover or whatever she was to him.

Needing to know what exactly is on the inside of the books, she pulls one out and flips open the cover. Sensing that there is no real order to them she doesn't see the harm in just picking a random one.

Four small photos are shown on the first page and look to be members of the guild. None of them seem to be related and make Lucy wonder why the old Master kept them. But upon closer inspection, she notices that one man is in all four of the photos.

He looks to be about eighteen years old with dark tan skin and short black hair. He is quite tall when he is compared to almost everyone and he wears a black shirt, black pants, and a long purple coat. A deep scowl is set across as if he is greatly displeased that a photo is being taken.

Lucy hums in thought as she flips to the next couple of pages. The same man is somewhere in each of the pictures even if he is not the main one being photographed. She wonders who the man could possibly be as she rapidly flips through the book until she sees a particularly interesting photo in the middle.

Her jaw drops to her chest as she stares at the little photo. "No way," she mummers in awe as she brings the picture to the end of her nose.

Right in the center is the same man from all of the other photos—except that he is a couple of years older than he is in the other pictures—and a tall teenage boy by his side. The teenage boy is holding up a pair a Magic Council handcuffs and has one of the biggest grins on his face. He has long, messy dark orange hair, slender eyes, and a moderately strong jaw.

"Is that Gildarts!?" she yells in astonishment.

Deciding that she needs some kind of confirmation she gently pulls the photo out of the photo holders and flips is over, hoping for some kind of writing or dating.

The back reads, _Ivan Dreyar, 20, and Gildarts Clive, 15, after Gildarts is released from the Magical Council Prison at Ivan's behest._

Her mouth hangs open as she flips the picture back over. _That's Gildarts!?_ she thinks in amazement. _And he was in prison!? For what!?_

Then her first memory of how the man literally destroyed a wall by walking into it comes to the forefront of her mind. A huge sweatdrop appears on her brow as she guesses that he probably destroyed some important building or something and got in trouble for it.

But she had no idea that the one who brought the crash mage to Fairy Tail was Ivan Dreyar.

Seeing that name, Lucy carefully looks over the other man and her eyebrows furrow. "So that's Ivan, huh? Master's son and Laxus' dad," she whispers with an undertone of contempt.

"He doesn't look anything like them," she states absentmindedly about his appearance. The only thing that is similar is Laxus' height and that all three Dreyar men have the same eyebrow shape and eyes.

This is the man that caused Laxus some much trauma, pain, and sadness. He's the one that fed Laxus so many lies and convinced him that he was never good enough. A true monster in disguise…

Lucy snaps the book shut as she feels her revulsion rising. She takes several deep breaths to calm herself down.

 _Don't get upset. If you get upset then Laxus will get upset and you don't want that,"_ she reminds herself. _He's been working so hard to overcome those emotions and you don't want to give him any ideas. He has to work through his past on his own time and not feel like he's being pressured because you get some crazy ideas about his family._

Putting aside the album she takes one final breath and focuses on the task of looking through the rest of the photos. A part of her is happy that she can finally link Ivan's face to his name. The other part wishes that she could forget that horrible man.

Quickly flipping through each album, she sees that most are of the same variety as the first album: pictures of Ivan when he's either at home, in Magnolia, at the guild hall, or on a job. She sets each of them aside and continuously pulls out album after album.

Finally Lucy comes across a photo album with a soft golden cover and a cartoon puppy on the front. She cocks her head to the side in wonder. This one doesn't look like the others so what could possibly be in it?

Opening the cover carefully, her eyes nearly fall out of her skull.

"Oh…my…gods!" she screams in amazement. She clamps a hand around her mouth before glancing toward the kitchen to make sure Laxus didn't hear her before looking at the two pictures with wide, unabashed curious eyes.

The first picture is of a smiling baby Laxus in a diaper while he is holding a stuffed teddy bear and the second picture is of a baby Laxus asleep in his crib.

Lucy has unknowingly stumbled across Laxus' baby photos. A smile of pure joy spreads unknowingly spreads across her face as she peers down into the book.

His blonde hair is matted or poking in all directions, big green eyes with a single delicate eyelash at the ends are either open or closed, a cute nose sits on top of small flat lips, and his little body extends to cute hands and feet.

"He's so adorable!" she squeals giddily and quietly to herself.

She flips the page and sees four pictures across the two pages: one with him in an oversized hat, two with him smiling at the camera, and one with food all over his face.

"I have brought some more boxes Princess," Virgo calls as she brings two more boxes down.

"Virgo!" Lucy exclaims in surprise. A curious idea blooms in her head and she can't resist a goofy grin from spreading across her face at the thought. "Virgo, go up to the attic and see if you can find any of Laxus' baby clothes. There might not be any but I want you to try anyway."

"Is there any particular reason Princess?" Virgo wonders with a slight tilt of her head.

Lucy shakes her head in response. "No, not really. Just curious is all."

"Very well Princess. I will see what I can find," she replies with an obedient bow. Without another word she leaves to go rummage through the attic for any baby clothes.

Lucy returns back to the precious photos and continues her investigation. Her heart melts into a pile of goo the further she gets into the album. He looks like such a carefree, lovable baby. She would probably hug him to death if she ever saw him like this.

A disturbing thought spears through her mind as she imagines baby Laxus wearing a fur-lined coat and has lightning buzzing around him while he scowls angrily at anything and everything. Then a shiver runs down her spine when she realizes that this cute baby turns into one of the most, if not _the_ most, powerful man she knows and one that can kill practically anything with his bare hands.

She laughs nervously as she discards those thoughts in favor of looking at Laxus learning how to walk for the first time. Aww's and ooh's unconsciously slips from her lips as her heart sighs in happiness at seeing Laxus so unburdened and happy.

So involved with the album, she doesn't hear footsteps approach from the kitchen side.

Laxus sees his fellow blonde leaned over some kind of book and hums in question. "What are you doing?" he asks as he walks up behind her.

Lucy's back straightens like a wooden board when she hears his voice over her. "Nothing!" she yells wide-eyed as she slams the book to her chest.

A groan of suspicion rumbles in his chest. "What is that?" he asks more roughly than before.

"N-nothing," she stutters nervously. She gives him a trying-to-be-innocent-but-is-actually-guilty smile.

He grunts and frowns at her before flicking his eyes down at the book. He makes a grab for it but she quickly hops out of reach with a squeak. She stands on the other side of the couch from him amongst the boxes and crates.

"Lucy…" Laxus warns as he leans over the back of the couch, "let me see it."

A puckered smile grows on her face at the dare. "No," she claims defiantly with a shake of her head as she clutches the book to her abundant chest.

A cocky smirk spreads the right side of his face at the new challenge. As gracefully as a panther, he leaps over the couch to close the distance between him and his partner.

Lucy eeps as he gets within arm's reach and spins around to run between some boxes. He follows her and she darts between a stack of papers to lose him. Laxus is quick on his feet though and hops over the table to get in front of her. He flashes that cocky smirk at her only to have her respond with her playfully sticking her tongue out at him. Instead of going backwards, like he thought she would, she climbs over the couch and runs out the door to the hallway laughing.

They play this game of cat and mouse all throughout the house as if they are two eight year olds playing tag for several minutes. Laxus catches himself smiling multiple times when he gets close enough to her that his fingertips brush against her shirt or arm.

Thinking tactically, he pretends to chase her into the hallway but switches to head her off in the den. As planned, Lucy almost runs right into his arms as she tries to go through the door but quickly spins on her heel and tries to escape once more. Laxus takes a few rapid steps though to engulf her in a hug from behind and picks her up.

Lucy kicks the air and wiggles in his arms while laughing nonstop.

He chuckles at her while trying to maneuver her so he can grab the book. She holds the book out of in front of her body so the only way for him to reach it would be if he let go of her. Not wanting to let his little blonde mouse go, he twists them so she is lying on her back and him straddling her wide hips.

"That's cheating!" she exclaims with a wide smile that implies that she's actually not angry at all at being trapped.

"Never said it wasn't," Laxus states as he easily takes the book from her.

Lucy shakes in anticipation as she purses her lips into a thin line while she waits for his reaction.

He opens the book and instantly feels his cheeks heat up when he sees himself as a baby holding a teddy bear. His soul cringes in embarrassment as he realizes that his partner was looking at his damn baby photos. All the times that he was in a diaper, in an onesie, or when he didn't have any teeth…she's seen it all now.

Lucy watches some of the color drain from Laxus' face as he stares dumbfounded at his own photos. A huge burst of laughter fills her lungs and bursts through her lips. Her face turns red from laughing so hard. If he didn't have her trapped she would be rolling around the ground holding her ribs while she laughs her head off at how funny he looks.

His blush darkens as he watches her laugh at him. "You're not allowed to look at these anymore," he demands, knowing full well that she's already seen them.

"But you were so cute!" she counters with an exaggerated pout. "Come on let me see them again!"

Laxus snaps the book shut and slides it across the floor so it's out of both of their reaches. He looks pointedly away and crosses his arms as a signal that the subject is not up for discussion.

Lucy stifles her onslaught of laughter and pokes him in the arm. "Come on Laxus, I wasn't making fun of you. You really were adorable. I just think your reaction was funny not the actual pictures," she says genuinely as she leans up on her forearms. "I didn't mean to make you mad or embarrassed. Please forgive me."

He looks at her from the corners of his eyes to see her giving him a sweet, caring smile. Her face is flushed from all of the running and laughing but is starting to fade down to her cheeks. He heaves a sigh before rubbing a hand over his face. "Fine," he grumbles, "but you still can't look at them."

She gives him a look of mock hurt and opens her mouth to argue with him about the subject. She is going to finish looking through those photos come Hell or high water!

"Princess," Virgo interrupts as she stands in the den's doorway. Both blondes freeze and tilt their heads backwards or upwards to look questioningly at the maid spirit.

"I have found Blondie's baby clothes like you asked. There are more in the attic," she announces empathetically as she holds up a yellow onesie with an animated baby giraffe sewn into the front in one hand and a baby blue onesie made up of fabric with patterns of clouds with happy faces in the other hand.

Horror, pure exaggerated horror paints Laxus' face while Lucy grins wildly underneath him.

"Give me those!" he yells as he tries to get up from the floor.

"Run Virgo! Don't let him get them," Lucy begins to laugh again as she wraps her arms around his center in a half-hearted attempt to stop him from chasing the maid.

"Yes Princess," Virgo replies passively before gallivanting out the front door while holding the onesies over her head.

A horrified gasp escapes Laxus as he tries to fully stand up. Unfortunately for him, the weight of the woman holding onto his waist throws off his equilibrium and he only succeeds in tripping over his feet to partially land on the hysterically laughing Lucy.

"Let go!" he curses feebly as a grin unconsciously spreads over his lips.

"No!" Lucy laughs harder as she wraps her arms tighter around his waist.

Laxus twists around so he's straddling her waist again and gently grabs her wrists to pin them beside her head on the floor. Lucy wiggles in his hold as she continues to laugh uproariously.

"So you wanted to see my baby's clothes, huh?" he accuses lightheartedly.

Her lips pucker as she attempts to contain her merriment at the situation. "Yes," she admits with a wide grin. "I imagined…you…dressed in…little lightning bolts," she sputters between laughs as she squirms futilely in his grip.

He narrows his eyes mischievously at her. "Oh?" he asks with a devilish grin. "You wanna see my lightning bolts, do you? Well let me oblige you."

Lucy's laughter instantly halts when she feels the tell-tell signs of his magic. "Laxus wait…!" she begs until the lightning flows down her arms to her sides.

Abrupt excitement overcomes her and tears prick her eyes at the new sensation. "Qu…quit…tickling me!" she screams out in joy as laughter erupts from her mouth. She tries to pull her arms away and kick her legs but his weight over her keeps her in place.

"But I thought you wanted to see my lightning bolts," he reminds her cheekily with that shit-eating grin.

He bumps up the amperage a miliwatt or two and she goes into a complete laughing hysteria.

"Alright…Alright!...I…I give…I give up!" she breathes out between laughs.

He chuckles at her immediate surrender and dampens his magic to a light buzzing. Lucy sucks in air in thick gulps as she tries to catch her breath.

Just when she thinks it's all over he pushes his lightning back down arms to her sides and she is writhing in laughter once more.

This trend continues for the next few minutes until Laxus feels like he has achieved his sweet childish revenge for the baby photos and for letting her maid escape.

Ceasing his lightning, her laughter dies down to a few sparse chuckles after a while but Laxus doesn't relinquish his hold on her. She relaxes against the wood floor and stares upwards to admire electrifying green eyes with amusement dancing in them and a devious grin on her partner's face. Laxus watches his partner visibly relax and stare at him with big, soft brown eyes that glisten with mirth and satisfaction. Her luscious lips are slightly parted and her cheeks are flushed from overuse.

A light, airy feeling fills his gut as he remains perched over the celestial mage with a comfortable smile. His heart swells and beats erratically at the vision of her laid out underneath him so comfortably. A sudden urge to lean forward and connect his lips with her soft, warm ones spears through him. The dragon part of him purrs in his chest at the wonderful idea and wholeheartedly agrees.

That abrupt urge though is quickly overshadowed however by internal panic as he realizes that he actually wanted to kiss his partner. His mask remains in place while he quickly pushes those thoughts and desires away and tries to calm his mind and body.

He has no time to dwell on his feelings because he suddenly realizes a small detail he missed earlier. "Wait a fucking second," Laxus swears as he looks down at the woman underneath him with an accusing glare. "Why did she call me Blondie?"

Lucy's cheeks puff out before she explodes into another fit of laughter.

For the first time in almost thirty years, that old house is filled with laughter and smiles.


	12. Chapter 12

**Wow, everyone. I am blown away with how much reception this little story of mine has gotten. I am shocked that this little story has over 400 followers and almost 300 favorites. There are no words to express how happy and proud I am to see that so many people like my idea.**

 **I do want to say thank you to everyone who has been following me and been patient with the slow updates. Studying keeps me super busy at the moment and I greatly appreciate the understanding from each of you. Thank you to the new followers and readers for giving me a chance. A special thank you is given to my reviewers since you guys let me know how I can continue to improve and for keeping me in line.**

 **This chapter is more of a filler chapter for the next one. I'll try to get the other written quicker than this one.**

 **Thank you once again and on to the story.**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

After his and Lucy's chase and "fight", Lucy explains that she found the photo albums and shows Laxus a photo of his pops and Gildarts to prove it. She explains how every album she had seen featured him or his dad in some form or fashion—mainly his dad—so Makarov must have kept them since they're family photos.

Laxus is both irritated and curious at seeing the old albums. Irritated because he still has lingering anger and hatred towards the man; curious because he's never seen this part of pop's life. He's only knowledgeable of what happened with his dad during the time that he's been alive. Laxus doesn't really know anything about how or what his dad did before him.

Lucy convinces him to take the albums instead of throwing them away or burning them. It would be a travesty for him to throw away the lifetime's worth of memories that Makarov stored throughout the years, as she not-so-delicately put it.

But he couldn't really argue. He is undeniably curious and figures that once he's done looking through them, he can put them in storage for another twenty years.

With that settled, Lucy goes back to the couch to finish sorting the other boxes that Virgo brought down. Laxus remains standing off to the side as his eyes slowly settle on the blonde woman.

The crisp memory of him chasing and tickling her from less than thirty minutes ago replays in his mind as a bead of sweat trickles down his cheek. The vivid and distinct memory of the overwhelming urge to taste her smiling lips surges through his veins again as his eyes focus on the soft plumpness of her mouth.

Laxus internally panics as he abrupt spins his head away and clenches his eyes shut.

Why the fuck is he feeling this way? Why would he want to do such a thing as kiss Lucy?

He's never felt an urge like this before so he is absolutely clueless on what is happening.

What caused it? Was it because of the adrenaline from their game? Of the accidental playful touching? Was he just caught up in the moment? Something that seemed appropriate at the time? Or was it a hidden desire of his that manifested at that exact moment?

That annoying feeling in his chest arises to growl in disapproval at the doubt swirling in Laxus' mind.

All panicked and worried thoughts cease as Laxus opens his eyes and turns his head to narrow his eyes in suspicion at his chest. The fuck is that feeling doing here? What does it have to do with any of this? Maybe…

…maybe he wanted to kiss Lucy because of the mating?

Yeah…yeah, that must be it!

Laxus sighs as he closes his eyes in frustration.

It must be a part of the "dragon mating" ritual shit or whatever. That book that he read in the magical library wasn't finished so maybe he's experiencing the part of the study that wasn't covered?

Maybe he's being drawn to her because the magic in his body is being drawn to his magic that is inside Lucy? The manuscript did say that his magic can react if he is separated from Lucy for long periods of time so it's not a far reaching possibility that his magic could react if he got too close to her.

Internal annoyance builds within Laxus as he realizes that he might have accidentally caused another magical exchange between him and Lucy as he was tickling her. He did subject her body to his magic, after all! That means that all of the energy she had released between the time that the process begin to now has been wasted since he basically injected his lightning back into her.

That would also explain why the sudden urge hit him so hard and so quick. His magic just wanted to reconnect with the amount that was transferred to Lucy during the magical exchange and jolted his body into becoming closer to hers as a result.

That whole… _situation_ …earlier was nothing more than the result of his stupidity.

Laxus glances out the corner of his eyes at the blonde woman as she makes a grimace at some kind of broken glass bowl.

With all of this new information, Laxus now cannot deny the possibility that any of the romantic or sexual emotions he experiences or will experience in the future toward Lucy are just a result of the mating process. Since this is unknown territory in both his personal life and in the magical community, he cannot be sure of anything. Especially not at this point in time because it's only been a month and a half since they went to the library and that was the first urge.

In total honesty, Laxus admits that he finds Lucy attractive. Silky flowing golden hair, loving large chocolate brown eyes, plump puckered lips, petite nose, soft pale skin, enormous curvaceous breasts, slim waist, wide child-bearing hips, and lean shapely legs all combine together to create a sensual, sexy woman in Laxus' eyes.

But just because he finds her attractive doesn't mean that he has any romantic feelings for the blonde woman. Sure, he made that stupid crude joke during the Phantom thing but that still doesn't mean anything. Laxus would know if he sees Lucy—or anyone as a matter-of-fact—in that kind of light and he is positive that Lucy does not fit into the position of his love interest.

For fuck's sake, they barely knew each other eight months ago! Even if Laxus did have any feelings for Lucy, it would take a lot longer than _eight months_ for him to develop them!

No…that urge meant nothing. The dragon slayer mating process is just messing with his head and his body.

Laxus will have to be more careful from this point forward. He will have to ensure that none of his lightning has prolonged contact with his partner, else the magical exchange will further the mating process.

Which is kind of the exact opposite of what he wants to do.

"Laxus? You okay?" Lucy asks with the tilt of her head as she watches him scowl at the wall.

Laxus hums in question as he pulls away from his thoughts.

"You alright?" Lucy asks slowly as she eyes him warily.

"Yeah, fine," Laxus grunts as he rubs the back of his neck. "Just tired."

Lucy nods her head skeptically but refrains from saying anything. She returns back to the broken mugs that are littered on the bottom of the box at her feet.

Laxus heaves a tired sigh as he joins her on the other end of the couch and grabs a different box to sort.

A couple of hours later, Virgo returns with the baby clothes as Lucy and Laxus are locking the front door. The maid asks with a straight face—although Lucy has no idea how—if she can have her princess punish her as a reward for successfully hiding. Lucy sweatdrops as she refuses to punish her and jokes that Virgo would be an excellent competitor in hide-and-seek. Virgo's eyes go wide in excitement and ask if hide-and-seek is a sort of dominative punishment. Lucy sweatdrops again with a deadpan and refuses to do any harm to her spirit.

Laxus and Lucy leave the house as he carries the albums and she explains how hide-and-seek works to Virgo. Luckily for Laxus, the two blondes go their separate ways as Virgo gains a masochist gleam in her eyes at finally understanding how hide-and-seek works. He can hear the fading voice of the maid asking what sort of punishments she will receive if she finds her princess and an eep from Lucy before he can no longer hear them.

As Laxus arrives home, he sits the crate near the couch. He grabs a beer before grabbing a couple of albums and making himself comfortable on the couch. Laxus takes a random photo album, steels his nerves, and opens to the first page.

Inside are pictures of his dad at the bar at the old guild hall. He looks to be around twenty-five and is having a cold beer after a long job. Laxus can see Gramps at the far end of the bar as he is trying—and failing—to not notice the picture being taken.

Laxus scoffs at his grandfather before flipping the page.

* * *

Much later that night and into the early morning, Laxus sits alone on the couch in his house with photo albums around him. Some are strewn out haphazardly on the table in front of him at different angles and are turned to different pages. Others are stacked unevenly on the side tables and floor

Laxus is currently flipping through the end of the last photo album while looking at the final pictures of his old man when he was ten.

Both Ivan and Makarov are at the beach. Makarov is sitting in a beach chair with a mug of beer in his hand and is looking over at Ivan while he builds a sand castle. A smile is plastered on Gramp's face as Ivan is focused studiously on placing a sand dollar on the castle wall as the door.

Laxus' can't help but feel the slight upturn of the corners of his lips at the memory. It's…nice. It's good to see his family in a moment where they're not arguing or trying to kill each other.

With a sigh, Laxus closes the book. A frown mars his lips as he stares down at the book in confusion.

When Laxus started this trip down the memory lane, he was expecting to find photos of his pops being all cynical and greedy and cruel and while some did show that side of him, there were others that suggested that his pops was a good guy; something that Laxus was wholeheartedly unprepared for.

If a person had asked Laxus that morning what kind of person his pops is, Laxus would have said that his dad is a lying, calculating, cowardly, deadbeat with no hesitance what-so-ever. Which he currently is, but now…

…now Laxus wonders how he became that person.

Like most kids, Laxus always figured that his dad acted the same way throughout all of his life. He never thought that his dad could have been a completely different person in his youth and _became_ the man that raised him. Laxus just never considered his dad's past.

Laxus finally saw a huge chunk of his pop's life through his gramp's collection of photos; a time that Laxus knew nothing about. It took some pausing to reorder everything but Laxus eventually put every album in chronological order. The albums began when his dad was around eight years old and progressed till Laxus was twelve. Hundreds of moments during that time span were captured through the split-second records of a camera.

Everything that included Ivan was: his childhood after eight years old, his initiation into the guild when he was ten, his first job, pictures of him and Gramps together, several of the harder jobs that he took over the years, the first time that he was selected for the S-Class exams, the second time he was selected for the S-Class exams, Ivan's makeshift groups within the guild, snippets of the obvious fights between him and Gramps, Ivan on vacation or on jobs as he got older, and several photos with him and Laxus.

At certain points in time, Laxus swears that his dad seemed… _normal_. Like the guy wasn't some psychotic, sadistic, cruel, money-loving, asshole that used his son one minute and abandoned him the next but rather that he was just a regular guy that enjoyed drinking at the guild hall and going on jobs.

It's confusing as all fucking hell.

The one photo that surprised—and emotionally killed—Laxus the most though is not the ones that showed his pops drinking at the guild with the rest of the members or the ones that showed him relaxing around town. Oh, no…

It was a small photograph of him as a toddler and his dad. Laxus is grinning happily while his dad holds him against his chest with a smirk across face.

Laxus nearly lit the small photo on fire from the excess lightning buzzing around his body as he looked at it.

The bastard…the lying, calculating, cowardly, deadbeat looked like he cared about him for the second that the picture was taken.

Did his pops know that the camera was close and pretended to give a damn? Or was his dad actually sufficiently satisfied in that moment?

Laxus has no clue because for every instance that suggests that theory of his dad being a good guy is plausible, there's another picture that suggests otherwise.

There are some were he's scowling at the camera or looking at the guild with a sick smile. Laxus could practically see the lust for power gleaming in his eyes through those pictures. Others depict him having a father-son screaming match with Gramps that brings back memories of future screaming matches.

So which Ivan is the real one? The normal, indifferent wizard of Fairy Tail? Or the psycho who was exiled by his own father for harming Fairy Tail?

That's what irritates and frustrates Laxus the most; he can't decide. Laxus has so many questions and so few answers.

What kind of person was his dad years ago? Did his pops always act like he does now or did he change at some point in the past to become the man Laxus knows? Was everything in the pictures an act? Or was everything in his childhood the act? What could have happened to his pops to make him change so drastically, if he did change? Were most of the photos taken when his dad was having one of his better days by accident? Or did his dad set it up that way?

The worst part of this whole fucking situation is that neither Gramps nor Dad ever told him about anything in their pasts so now he is stuck trying to figure out everyone's lives without any assistance or guidance. It's like he's been left with all of these jigsaw pieces and is trying to solve the puzzle but he has no idea what the picture is supposed to look like, how many pieces there are in total, or if he even has most of the damn pieces.

It's _unbelievably_ fucking frustrating.

Naturally, Laxus' mind conjures up reasons what could have possibly damaged his dad's entire emotional and mental states so badly that he turned into…well, him. If he did, in fact, change over time.

 _Maybe it was mom's death…?_ Laxus wonders suddenly. A twisting, knotting feeling settles in his stomach at the grotesque thought.

That would answer a few things.

It could explain why his mom spoke fondly of his dad in her letter. Laxus is almost positive that his mother would not have tolerated any of his dad's crazy, selfish actions if he acted that way towards her. At least…Laxus likes to think that she wouldn't endure it.

I would also explain why Gramps would keep all of these photos. Laxus can't really see his grandfather keeping all of these photos of his son if they hated each other.

Laxus also knows the story of how Lucy's dad changed after her mother's death. Jude Heartfilia is a prime example of someone overwhelmed by grief to the point of turning neglectful and conniving. That being said, it's not such a far-fetched idea that someone's death could change their loved one's entire outlook on life.

It's an entirely plausible possibility.

A sickening feeling makes Laxus' stomach churn at the idea of his dad abusing him because of some suppressed emotional damage of losing his mother.

Deep down Laxus knows how to get the answers he wants.

Laxus would have to go speak with his father.

A deep growl of detestation resonates within his chest at the thought of speaking with his dad. Laxus _really_ doesn't want to have _any_ contact with his pops. The man would probably degrade him, threaten him, and possibly try to hurt him and Laxus _really_ doesn't have the time or patience to deal with those things.

Not to mention that Laxus has just started to come to terms with the hardships of his past and he really doesn't want to add to that list by fighting with his old man. And there is practically a guarantee of a fight if he seeks out his pops. His emotional state in regards to his father is too fragile to be stepped on and that's exactly what his dad will do.

So no; he will not go talk with his dad. The part of Laxus that wants to avoid his father far outweighs the part that wants answers.

Laxus sighs in exhaustion and stress as he takes his feet off of the coffee table and stands up to stretch his cramped back. Since he knows he will not be actively pursuing the answers to his family questions, he might as well not worry about it.

The past is not directly influencing his life right now so there is no harm in not knowing something that was before his time. Ignorance is bliss.

With a quick glance at the photo albums lying around his living room, Laxus heads up to bed for a couple hours of sleep before he has to return to the old family house.

* * *

The next several days progress quickly for Laxus and Lucy. Everything in the attic is cleaned and sorted or thrown away after a week and a half. Most things were thrown away in the end but Laxus found several items that he couldn't bear to part with.

All of the photo albums of his pops are put into storage. As much as he hates the selfish bastard, his gramps kept all of the photos throughout the years so the least Laxus can do is to hold onto them.

But there are also all of the photos of him while he was growing up. There is every possible photo of Laxus that could ever be taken of a kid: him sleeping in his crib, blowing out candles on his birthday cakes, playing at the park, hanging out at the guild, learning about magic, doing homework, smiling while he's on a vacation trip, and eating weird food for the first time. There are also ones where it's of him becoming an official member of the guild, leaving for his first job, finishing his first job, gagging when he had his first beer while Gildarts laughs hysterically in the background, and him sleeping in the infirmary with bandages covering his body from head to toe after a really tough job. Laxus remembers most of these moments in varying degrees of clarity but the memory of camera snapping his picture is practically never there.

Laxus finds how many photos there are of him amusing. Nearly half of the albums are just him at some age or another. Laxus realized very quickly that once he was born, the subject of almost all of the photos shifted from his dad to him. A warm comforting feeling fills Laxus' heart and body at how diligently his gramps preserved the memories of his life.

The old man must have really loved him if he took all of these pictures and kept them throughout the years.

There is no way that Laxus can bring himself to part with these memories, even if he wanted to. So he decided to keep those at his house. Although it's mainly to keep Lucy from breaking into his storage unit and stealing the damn things.

Some pieces of furniture that were in decent shape and looked to be antiques were also kept. A grandfather clock (that still works) is one of the pieces that caught Lucy's eye and the blonde woman begged him to let her have it instead of him just giving it away.

They made the official verbal agreement of three dinners with dessert for the grandfather clock.

Some papers about Gramps were also found and Laxus added those to the huge collection that had been left for him in the Will.

Near the end of the collection, Lucy stumbled across a two huge boxes worth of journals. It took the combined strength of Laxus and Virgo to heave the boxes down the stairs one by one.

After nearly chocking on the spray of dust that covered them, both blondes were shocked to find that the sole contents of the boxes are nothing more than stacks and stacks of journals. They pulled one out and discovered that it is written by Laxus' mother, Hope. They were overjoyed at the fact that Makarov kept all of her life writings safe and in good condition. Immense relief and happiness washed over Laxus at knowing that he can now learn everything about the woman he has wondered about for so long.

Laxus immediately took the journals home after he and Lucy made the deal to read them together after they are finished organizing all of the houses. It doesn't bother him that Lucy is just as eager to read about his mom's life as he is. She did read his mother's letter to him, after all. It's not surprising that the blonde woman would be interested in Hope's story after having such a brief overview.

Besides, he has realized how well she articulates words and expresses emotions hidden within writings so listening to her read a story should be rather enjoyable. A lot more than what it would be doing it by himself, anyway.

Everything else paled in importance after that and was not really noteworthy.

After the last piece of furniture was hauled onto the orphanage cart, the driver deeply thanked the blondes once again before returning to the enthralled kids.

"Well, that's the last of it," Lucy sighs happily as she puts her hands on her hips. "Gotta say, I'm proud that we got everything taken care of."

"Yeah," Laxus agrees with a small smile.

They stare at the Makarov's old family house for several minutes as they bask in a job well done.

"So what's next?" Lucy she turns her face upwards with a big nod. "Do you wanna attack the house in Razdol'noye next or the one in Blackstone Beach?"

"Let's do Razdol'noye."

* * *

The morning after Laxus and Lucy finish cleaning the old man's house, Laxus is taking a shower while lost in thought.

A lot of memories have reoccurred and events have transpired over the past week and a half. Along with getting everything sorted, cleaned, organized, thrown away, and/or stored, Laxus has begun to wonder about some things.

A part of him is happy that everything is cleaned out so the house can finally be restored and maybe be lived in again by some other family. Maybe an expecting couple could move in and raise their son or daughter in those rooms. The kid can play in the front yard with the other kids in the neighborhood and everything will be perfect for the little family.

The other part is upset that all of his grandfather's belongings are moved out and that there is the possibility that it won't be in the Dreyar name any longer. The thought of getting rid of the old family house almost gives him the sense of throwing away his grandpa's memories.

A thought he's not comfortable with at all.

It makes him hesitant about selling the place. Maybe he can hold off on selling it for a while? It does need a few repairs and a new paint job, after all.

Seeing so much of gramp's belongings makes Laxus think back on all of the time he spent with the old man. Both good and bad. Back when he was a kid and they went to the Harvest Festival together. When he was a teenager and accused his gramps of not having a heart because he kicked his dad out of the guild. All the years they fought behind closed doors because he was arrogant and unappreciative of the love from everyone around him.

They went through a lot of shit together…but no matter what, the old man was always there for him when Laxus really needed him. Looking back, Gramps always tried to do what was best for him…even if it was such a thing as exiling him from the guild.

Now, Laxus understands that he needed time away from the guild so he could reevaluate his priorities.

He realized at the beginning of his exile that he was just a horrible monster that hurt his comrades and guildmates because of his selfish desire for power. He thought that he was entitled to everything because his grandpa was the master of the guild. He was a callous jerk that discarded their plea for help in their time of need and pitted them against one another later on. He thought himself better than each and every one of them simply because he was more powerful; that there were no way any of them could ever be of any worth since they were weak.

He was…was…an awkward, self-conscious, damaged idiot that was terrified of being laughed at and humiliated by strangers.

He still kind of is that idiot. Laxus is still awkward as all hell, self-conscious about anything new, and bruised emotionally but he's not afraid to be laughed at any more. Irritated, yes—but not afraid.

He likes to think that he became a better person during his expulsion from the guild. He doesn't take everything so seriously anymore and appreciates each person for their own qualities. Even if he doesn't always talk about it. And he realized that family is not all about blood ties. It's about having people care about you and love you despite how much of a pain in the ass you are. Those are the people that truly matter and they don't have to be your blood relative to be that way. Now he wishes to protect his family from anyone or anything that dares to threaten them.

They're a part of the reason why he has to try extra hard to accept his past; to allow himself to move forward and do what he knows now to be right in his heart. It will allow for him to see how to help his friends and family without all of that hate and suffering twisting his thoughts and emotions into something deadly.

Nothing will stop him from protecting his guild…his friends…his family…not even himself.

Laxus has been given a second chance at happiness and a home and he's not going to throw it all away. He's going to make it count for something.

Heaving a heavy sigh, Laxus turns off the water and steps out dripping wet. He grabs a towel and ruffles his wet hair until it's damp before toweling off his body.

Steam has fogged the mirrors and gently wisps around in the air. Laxus wipes off some condensation from the mirror with a hand to see his scarred face.

Laxus takes a long look in the mirror and discovers that the longer he looks at himself, the more he is bothered by his reflection.

The face looking back at him has had to endure many trials. Being mainly raised by his grandpa, joining the guild, having his dad leave, becoming an S-class mage, getting banished from the guild, his deep self-reflection, and losing most of his family…it hasn't been easy. It could be said that it's been more bad than good but he knows that's not necessarily true. That truth only became evident to him during his exile.

His life hasn't been _all_ bad. He was always surrounded by his family even if he didn't necessarily acknowledge it or appreciate it at the time. He made three close friends that stuck by his side through everything. Even though he won't see them again, he will always thank them for their loyalty and friendship. He was able to admit to himself that he loved his grandfather very much and that he was loved dearly by the old man. Even now—after losing almost everyone he ever loved—he has become close friends with Lucy. And more things will continue to happen. Good and bad.

That's why his reflection bothers him. It reminds him of how things were before everything changed and suggests that nothing has really happened to him in the last year. Maybe _he_ needs to make the change? Something to show that he is a different person than before he was banished…someone that can make their family proud…someone who's will protect his family at all costs…

* * *

"I want a haircut," Laxus declares neutrally as he closes his eyes and leans back against the cushions of Lucy's couch.

A loud clang is heard before Lucy slowly leans backwards to look through the kitchen doorway with a perplexed expression.

"What?"

"I want a haircut."

"Then why don't you just go down to the barbershop and get one?" Lucy asks dryly as she walks into her living room with her hands on her hips.

"'Cause you have the crab guy who has a hair fetish," he answers flatly as he pops one eye open to watch her.

A massive tick forms on her brow as she impulsively swings her fist her partner's blonde head. "He does not have a hair fetish!"

Laxus easily catches her dainty fist before it contacts with his head with a confident smirk. "You sure?" he teases.

Lucy narrows her eyes and sneers at his cocky face. "Yes I'm…" she trails off as an image of cancer caressing and smelling a collection of different locks of hair while lying in bed completely naked enters her mind. Gross disturbance mars her face as she lets her arm fall limp in Laxus' hold.

Laxus lets out a booming laugh at her expense.

The celestial mage snaps out of her frightening thoughts to glare at the lightning dragon slayer. "Oh, shut up!" she hisses as she marches back toward the kitchen. "Cancer!" she yells as she enters the kitchen so the crab spirit appears in front of Laxus with his scissors at the ready.

"Yes, baby?" he asks coolly with snips of his scissors.

"Cut his hair," she commands as she points at the other blonde through the door.

"Yes, baby," Cancer agrees as he crosses his arms for a dramatic pose.

Laxus feels a bead of sweat trickle down his temple as Cancer makes the first swipe. Maybe, he should have gone to the barbershop, after all.

A minute passes before Cancer steps back to admire his work and nod in approval. "All done, baby," he says proudly before disappearing into the spirit world.

Laxus blinks in a stupor as his eyes roll up in an attempt to see his haircut. Not seeing even a hint of bangs, he retreats to the bathroom mirror. The image that greets him makes his soul seep out of his body in horror.

"LUCY!" he yells as he stomps toward the kitchen where the crab's master is lying in wait.

"Wha-" she asks before stopping dead as she runs into a pissed off Laxus halfway through the living room. Her eyes float up to land on his new haircut. She bursts into hysterical laughing as tears gather in the corners of her eyes.

"You…y-you're…bald!" she gasps before bending over to hold her sides while she continues to laugh.

A vein pops in Laxus' forehead as his bright, pristine bald head shines in the light of the room. Cancer took what Lucy said literally and cut off every single strand of Laxus' hair on his scalp. The only hair left on his face is his two thick blonde eyebrows that are creased together so tightly in anger that he appears to almost have a unibrow.

"Lucy…" he warns dangerously as he tries to pierce her with his deadliest death glare.

Lucy briefly looks up before dissolving into another laughing fit. "You look like a pissed off potato head!" she jokes as she falls to the floor while still clutching her sides.

"If you don't fix this," Laxus growls seriously, "I will fry every strand of hair off of your body so badly that you will never grow hair ever again."

Lucy's laughter dies down to contained chuckles as she looks up at the towering man above her after a couple of minutes.

"Oh, get a sense of humor," Lucy winks at him playfully.

Laxus sneers at her and gives her another death glare that only causes Lucy to smirk at him. Lucy takes exaggerated movements as she slowly calls out her spirit.

"Yes, baby?" Cancer announces as he arrives once more.

"Cancer, please give Laxus the haircut he wants," she requests sweetly as she rises from the floor. She casts one last glance at her bald teammate and giggles as he shoots her another glare.

"Yes, baby," Cancer nods affirmatively.

Laxus takes a seat on the couch once more so Cancer can have access to his scalp. Using his magic, Cancer grows out Laxus' hair and trims it. He cuts each strand shorter so his hair is just a shorter version of his original haircut. The blonde tips jut out in every direction but have a slight backwards tendency. A tuft of hair still pokes in the center of his forehead as a sort of small bang.

"How about this, baby?" Cancer holds out a mirror for the blonde man.

"Don't call me 'baby'," Laxus grunts as he snatches the mirror to examine himself.

 _It looks pretty good_ , he thinks to himself. He takes a couple of minutes to make sure that the crab didn't miss any spots so there is not some huge bald spot somewhere. Everything looks to be in order and Laxus hands the hand mirror back. "Thanks," he thanks the spirit.

"Anytime baby," he says cheerfully before disappearing back to the Celestial Spirit world.

"Well, I think it suits you," Lucy smiles as she crosses her arms and nods sagely.

"He could have just done this originally," Laxus grumbles with a scowl over having to be bald for five minutes.

"Hey, you made fun of my spirit first so it's only fair that he can make fun of you," she states matter-of-factly as she pokes him in the shoulder.

Laxus sighs in exhaustion as his head tips backwards. "You're too much sometimes."

"Gotta know how to take it if you want to give it, Laxus," Lucy states cheekily as she returns to their lunches.

"Can we just talk about the house?" Laxus changes the subject to stop this stupid conversation. "I want to leave tomorrow."

"Fine with me," Lucy agrees as she adds some chips to each of their plates. She returns to the living room with two plates of food and sets them down on the dining table. Laxus quickly joins her and begins to plow into his food.

"Apparently Razdol'noye is on the north side of Fiore. It's going to take a few days to get there but the weather is supposed to be nice so we won't need to pack any winter clothes or anything.

"Good," Laxus nods with a big bite. "Bring enough stuff and spending money for a couple of weeks. You still got enough money?"

"Yep," Lucy pops her lips. She hasn't been out on a job for over a month since she has been helping Laxus so much but she hasn't been set back either. The big job that she took for her father supplied her with enough money to pay for six months' worth of rent so she can afford to spend a little of her savings if it means that she can help Laxus.

"Good. Then we leave tomorrow."

* * *

Laxus packs enough clothes and necessities for two weeks since there is no way of knowing how long this trip will take. He grabs the deed to the house just in case there is some dispute over the ownership of the land title and the sets of keys that go to the house.

He turns all of his lights off in his house and locks the door before heading to the train station.

Meanwhile, Lucy is doing the exact same routine.

They meet up at the train station and buy a ticket for themselves. They find a bench since the train won't arrive for another thirty minutes.

As both mages wait on their train, Lucy asks Laxus some of the technical questions about their trip because she knows he's going to be useless when he gets on the train and she doesn't want to wait until they get there to square everything away.

They agree that they can stay in the house unless there is ample reason not to—being run down, having a heavy draft, and general uncleanliness all being valid excuses—in which case, they while share a room at an inn. Food will be bought by each of them as well as anything else that's personal. If they wind up staying for more than two weeks than they can come back to Magnolia temporarily before returning for however long will be required.

Lucy is feeling pretty good about the overall plan when the train arrives. Her and Laxus board the train and sit in the middle of one car.

As the train begins to pull out, Laxus' face turns a sickly pale tone and groans silently in agony. He shifts to lay himself down on the seat while Lucy grabs a book for the long journey.

* * *

Three days and two connecting terminals later, Laxus and Lucy arrive in the northern town of Amaryllis. Razdol'noye is another six hours away so Lucy—much to Laxus' aggravation, irritability, and pain—garners a ride from a farmer that is heading in that direction.

They make a steady pace across fields of wheat before the terrain turns more rugged as they approach the mountains. Laxus' stomach does a triple, one-hundred eighty-degree backflip every time the cart jars from running over an exceptionally sized rock; which becomes more prevalent the closer they get to their destination.

An hour away from Razdol'noye, the farmer lets them off and says goodbye since he is going the other way. Laxus swears up and down that he is not going to ride another vehicle for the rest of the trip and that Lucy will just have to go by herself if she wants to do anything besides walk. Lucy deadpans at his exaggeration and reminds him that it could have been a lot worse. They banter back and forth pointlessly about the state of their rides during most of their walk.

Eventually they pass large amounts of farmland as they enter the outer limits of Razdol'noye.

Razdol'noye is a tiny town that is hidden at the base of the mountains on the north side of Fiore. Acres of farmland surround three sides of the town with the far east side leading into the mountains. Every building is tall and with steep roofs so no snow will build up during the winter time. Approximately ninety percent of the buildings are closely situated to one another with narrow roads and streets running between them. A main road cuts through the center of town and has businesses poised on both sides. The businesses bleed outwards from the street before gradually turning into homes.

"This isn't so bad," Lucy says with a smile as she looks around at the vast farmland before gazing at the entrance to the town.

Laxus hums quietly to himself in indifference.

Walking onto the main road, Lucy can see the townspeople going in and out of the businesses lining the street. Some kids play catch off to the side while one man is painting the front of his store.

Lucy smiles happily to herself as she watches everyone in town.

Several passersby smile and chat happily until they see the two blondes. Their smiles fade as they step out of the way and stare at them curiously as Lucy and Laxus pass them. Other people see the two out of the corner of their eyes and turn from their conversations to stare at the duo. A hush falls over the crowd as everyone's attention turns toward Laxus and Lucy.

Laxus' scowl grows deeper and brows crease while Lucy's smile fades and looks around her with half-worried half-curious eyes.

"What's everyone looking at?" she wonders aloud.

"Doesn't matter, just keep walking," Laxus replies gruffly.

Lucy frowns but keeps walking regardless. She pulls out the paper that she wrote the address on before they left Magnolia and the map to correlate the two.

"The address is 498 East Pebble…road," Lucy whispers as her eyes trace the lines on the map. "The map says that the house should be on the outskirts of town on the far north. So if we keep going this way we will reach the edge of town but then have to take several small roads to reach it," she states without looking up.

"Sounds good," Laxus grumbles as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.

Bits and pieces of hushed conversations reach his ears as they continue their trek through the little town. Sentences with the words like 'strangers' and "dangerous'. No one speaks to the two mages and continue their speculations in quiet discussions. No one knows their names or who they are and question why two strangers would come into town.

Laxus guesses that not many people must pass through here very often.

After being stared at like they're lepers or something out of a storybook, Lucy and Laxus make it to the edge of town. Just like what Lucy said, they have to take several short paths into the countryside before they are walking along one dirt road with a high wall made out of white rock on one side.

Eventually, they see a broken mailbox next to two tall, rusted, black, metal gates that are hinged to the wall. A chain is twisted around the bars near the center of the gates with a thick padlock to lock everything together. As they get closer, Lucy can see a faded 498 on the side of the bent mailbox on the ground.

"This must be it," she whispers as she leans down to peer through the bars to see inside the property but regrets it when a shiver runs down her spine as she gulps in fear.

Large acres of land stretch inside the white walls with a single narrow gravel road running through the property. Grass has become overgrown on every available inch of unused dirt and sticks up in some parts of the road. It seems jumbled and twisted as if each blade of grass is fighting the ones beside it.

Against the skyline, a large, wide house with a steep roof sits on the flat piece of land with a huge tree beside it. Everything is coated in shadows and decay to compliment the lack of attention that the entire property seems to claim; as if no one has set foot on this land in decades.

No place has ever looked more stereotypically haunted than _this_ place.

"I have a bad feeling about this," she says apprehensively as a sense of uneasiness settles in her stomach.

"Yeah, looks like a shithole to me too," Laxus grunts in annoyance as tries to find the key to the lock on the gate amongst the other keys.

"That's not what I meant," she frowns up at him.

"Why else would you have a bad feeling about this place if it isn't a shithole?" He asks as he pushes the correct key into the lock and unravels the chains once the padlock pops open.

Lucy glares at him and scowls. She knows he is trying to bait her into admitting that she thinks that the place is haunted. Well, she's not going to fall for it. That might be the real reason why she doesn't like this place but it'll be a cold day in hell before she admits it.

Laxus finds the other key that is used to open the gates. The black gates swing opens on rickety hinges that creak and crack with disuse.

Lucy's body sharply bristles at the frightful sound. Laxus looks down at her and smirks as she wraps her arms around her body.

Laxus takes the initiative and begins to walk down the gravel road toward the house. Not wanting to be left alone in this place, Lucy quickly catches up to his side. They walk in silence as they make a side note about the wilderness and chaos of the surrounding grass.

As both blondes near the abandoned house, Lucy can't help the feeling of uneasiness that bubbles up within her once more.

The house is even creepier up close.

The house looks to have two stories and an attic. A porch is connected to the front of the house and circles around the left and middle sides of the front. A large window is to the right with smaller windows above it and around the house for each room. The roof raises to three separate points, the largest one is in the middle with two smaller ones on either side, with a window in the center of the middle peak.

A lot of wooden planks that cover the exterior of the house have disintegrated and weathered to the point that they have fallen and are scattered amongst the grass. Tiles have slid off of the roof to join the planks on the ground. The window panes are broken, cracked, or completely busted and show the dirty moth-eaten curtains behind them.

This house has been abandoned for a _long_ time.

Then there's the tree…

…the tree…

The tree that sits off to their right in the front yard; it is in the direct path of a large window of the right side of the house. The shape suggests that it was once a big, strong elm tree that towered at least fifty feet over the land. Each inch of the tree is covered in burnt wood that is black with stains of soot and ash that were fresh long ago. No leaves cover the canopy to exhibit the dead burnt limbs that poke out stubbornly against the skyline. Some of the weaker pieces have partially broken off the branches and lie limp in the air.

A small murder of crows is resting in the branches of the trees. They caw and flutter their wings as twenty beady black eyes watch the blondes' every move.

"That tree is really creeping me out," Lucy tells Laxus is a hushed whisper. "Everything is creeping me out. It's a total creep fest."

Laxus frowns down at her before looking over at the tree. An unsettling feeling descends into his gut as the tree limbs creak under a small breeze but he keeps up a mask of strength.

"It's fine," he reassures her as he looks back down at her. "It's just a dead tree."

Lucy shakes her head before side eyeing the tree again. "I don't know Laxus. Something feels… _off_ …about that tree. I just can't quite put my finger on it."

Laxus' scowl lessens a degree as he looks at the tree one more time. He doesn't know why but he experiences that same feeling. Like there is just something _wrong_ about that tree. Laxus doesn't sense any magical energy emitting from it or any magical linkage or spells placed on it so it's nothing magical but there's still this…presence. A very strange, dark, looming presence that reminds everyone that it's there; that it's _always_ there.

"Then don't worry about it," he states firmly as he stops dwelling on the strange feelings that tree evokes. He begins to walk toward the house as he pulls out the key ring.

Lucy frowns and blinks a few times to focus on the house instead of the tree. She quickly catches up to her partner as they step onto the front porch.

The wood creaks and cracks under their weight as they walk up the porch steps. Lucy walks behind Laxus and places her weight on one step when the wood snaps under her boot. She yelps in surprise as her leg goes through the wood and her upper body lands face first into the porch.

"Ow…" she hisses through gritted teeth.

"You alright?" Laxus asks worriedly as he turns around.

"Yeah," she grunts as she pushes herself upwards to an awkward standing position. "My leg just fell through. Gimme a hand?"

Laxus grabs her by the forearms and together they pull her leg out of the hole.

"We gotta be careful when we're walking around this place," Lucy says as she checks her leg for injuries. Seeing nothing she wipes her hands on her shirt.

"Yeah," Laxus grumbles in irritancy. He had no idea that this place would be this run down. It's a downright fucking health hazard. "Watch your step," he warns as he pulls her toward the door.

Laxus finds the right key for the lock and pushes the metal piece into its rightful place. A clunk is heard in the door as the lock is finally turned in what must have been decades.

A shiver runs down Lucy's spine and she begins to sweat in fear as the door swings open with a loud uneasy creak to reveal a dark foyer. Laxus and Lucy's footsteps echo throughout the abandon house as they step into the house.

"Y-yep, total creep fest," Lucy gulps nervously as she looks nervously from side to side. Her arms are locked beside her breasts as she semi-holds herself.

Laxus grunts and scowls at her childish behavior before walking down the corridor.

"H-hey! Don't leave me!" she squeaks as she chases him.

A tour of the old house seems to be the most rational thing to do since they've never seen or step foot inside the place. They tread carefully through the house as they try not to fall through the decomposing floorboards.

Two large rooms flank the foyer on both sides. The left side is less wide than the right but extends through the whole house whereas the right only extends halfway through house. A barren kitchen is behind the dining room and is separated by a door. Nothing but a sofa is inside the left room and a plain dining table in the right. A staircase extends along the right wall of the foyer to lead toward the upper rooms. The entrance to the kitchen is down a corridor that leads to a door in the back wall. A large stained glass window sits in the opposing wall at the top of the stairs with a reading nook underneath it.

The upstairs has a small corridor that runs horizontally at the top of the stairs. Two doors lay at the each end of the corridor. The doors on the right lead to identical, opposing bedrooms. One of the doors on the left leads to the master bedroom while the other leads to the upstairs attic. A padlock binds the attic door shut. Three rusted metal bedframes are pushed into the corners of the bedrooms. The floorboards are rotten with holes and mildew.

Cobwebs are scattered throughout in the crevices of the rooms and dust lies undisturbed on every inch of available surface area. Wind blows through the broken windows to whistle menacingly in the still air. Pitter patter of rodents running under the rotting floorboards reverberates through the empty place and causes the sounds to multiply in the darkness.

Laxus holds up the padlock to the attic and inserts the key into the lock. The lock pops open and lets the door swing open. Lucy and Laxus carefully walk up the steep, narrow stairs to the dark, dusty upstairs attic as Laxus surrounds his fist in lightning so they can see where they walk.

The attic is pyramidal shaped with two windows in the walls where the height is the greatest. Boxes, crates, and furniture are packed tightly together from the edge of every wall to a foot away from the entrance to the attic.

"Yep, Master was here alright," Lucy sighs with a frown. She would recognize this stuffed-to-the-absolutely-brim packing style anywhere.

It took them almost a week and a half to organize everything in the Master's old house so it'll probably take that at least that long to clean out this attic too.

"I've never seen any of this stuff," Laxus adds offhandedly as he eyes an upside down antique chair with a thick cobweb between its legs.

"Well you've never been here before so that makes sense," Lucy reassures him. "I wonder if all of this is the Master's stuff. Why didn't he just keep it at his house in Magnolia? Why keep it across the country?"

"Don't know. I guess, we'll find out," he mumbles uncertainly as he briefly looks around to the surrounding boxes and crates. "Let's go back down. I don't trust this floor."

Both blondes retreat back to the foyer after their little tour. A mouse pops out of a hole in the wall under the stairs and darts in front of Lucy to scurry into the living room.

"Aaahhh!" Lucy screams as she leaps backwards in exaggerated fright. She collides back first into Laxus as he looks down at her with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Really? A mouse?" he drawls mockingly.

"Oh, shut up! It came out of nowhere!" she yells annoyed anger as she tilts her head back to look at his upside down head.

"Yeah, and we just magically popped in here," he smirks as his voice drips in sarcasm.

Lucy sneers at him before harrumphing and putting some distance between them.

"Well, that's the final straw; I am _not_ staying here over night. You can, but I refuse."

"Well, I agree," Laxus sighs as he looks at the decaying walls. "It's probably not safe for anyone to sleep here."

Another small rodent scampers across the floor to crawl over Lucy's boot to disappear into the hole under the stairs. Lucy squeaks in fear again as a noticeable shiver runs down her spine. She waves her hands in front of her face defiantly as she gives Laxus a serious look and declares, "I'm getting an exterminator! I refuse to have mice crawling over my feet while I'm here!"

She spins around and stomps out the door before slamming it behind her. A shriek and a board snapping reach Laxus' ears, followed by Lucy cursing the stupid stairs.

Laxus heaves a heavy sigh before plodding out the door to help his partner get her leg out of the collapsed stair board.

* * *

"You have spiders, rats and termites," a man with black hair and a thick accent says with a grimace as he walks down the front porch steps.

"Can you get rid of them?" Lucy asks with a frown as her and Laxus follow the man.

"Spider, yes. Termites, yes. Rats, not so much. For the spiders and termites, I can spray a general poison for the spiders and a termiticide that has a delayed effect so the poison will kill off the colony of termites after most of the termites have injected the poison. Now, the rats…they're more complicated," he resigns with a sigh.

"I can probably get rid of the rats and mice in the house using some baits and traps but the rats in the field," he points to the acres of tall, overgrown grass all around the house, "will probably just invade the house afterwards. As long as there is grass, there will be rats. It's their food source and habitat. So if you want to get rid of your rat problem for good, then you need to get rid of all of the rats—both in the house and in the field."

"But in order for the rats in the field to go away, the grass has to go away first?"

"That's right."

"And how do we do that?" Lucy rolls the words off her tongue as she crosses her arms and cocks a skeptical eyebrow.

The exterminator from town shrugs his shoulders with exaggeration. "Don't know. Anyway is alright, I guess."

Lucy groans with a thoughtful pout.

"Fine," Laxus huffs in annoyance before he shifts his attention to his partner. "You got a spirit that can block fire?"

Lucy blinks in surprise as she gives him a confused glance. "Uh…maybe, Aries? I think her wool's inflammable. Why?"

Laxus doesn't answer and raises an arm straight above his head. Cracks of thunder reverberate in the air before two dozen thick lightning bolts rain down from the sky all across the farmland.

"What the!?" Lucy and the exterminator yell in shock.

Red and orange flames begin to flicker from the spots where the lightning struck down. Streams of black smoke bellow into the air as the small flicks of fire spread outward to the dry grass surrounding it to grow into a wild grass fire. Within moments, distinct sections of fire join into one before spreading to cascade into the others.

"EEEHHH!" Lucy and the exterminator scream in terror as their skin visibly bristles.

"Put your spirit's barrier around the house," Laxus commands Lucy as he drops his arm.

Lucy spins her head around to glare angrily at him but refrains from yelling her head off at him in favor of stopping the old house from burning down to the ground.

"Open, Gate of the Ram! Aries!" Lucy yells as she hastily pulls the key out and points it in front of her.

A bright light shines at the end of the golden key before Aries arrives mid-air and lands daintily on the ground.

"I'm sorry," she apologizes as she curls her fingers against her large chest.

"Aries! Put a wool barrier around the house! Hurry!" Lucy yells with a flustered expression.

"O-okay!" Aries confirms reluctantly as she holds both of her arms out from her sides and pink, thick, fluffy wool extends from both of her palms.

Lucy watches her spirit encircle the old, crumbling house with her inflammable wool as the fire spreads across the acres of land. Aries layers the wool tall enough so none of the fire will spread over the top. The front of the house is covered quickly enough while the back is finished within seconds of the fire reaching the spirit's wall.

Smells of burnt grass and dirt waft into the air as the crackling flames consume every inch of the overgrown farmland from the pink wool to the white stone walls that sit at the edge of the property. The fire attempts to burn through Aries' wool but the magical wool remains unaffected by the flames.

"Way to go, Aries!" Lucy cheers as she fist pumps the air.

"I'm sorry," Aries mumbles as she blocks her body with her arms again.

Laxus scowls at the unnecessarily apologetic spirit as Lucy bids her goodbye.

"Are you people nuts!?" the frazzled exterminator yells in a crazed daze as he turns on both of the blondes.

"It was his idea!" Lucy yells back in startled anger as she points at her partner.

"Hey, you said that it didn't matter how we got rid of the grass as long as we did," Laxus replies calmly but with noticeable irritation.

Lucy's eyebrow twitches as she glares up at her partner.

"I didn't think you would burn it all!" the exterminator claims indignantly.

"It's my land, I can do what I want with it," Laxus scowls and glares down at the smaller man in a silent challenge to debate his decision. "Now, fix my house."

The exterminator's jaw drops in shock. He slowly swivels his head to look from the pink wool wall, to the house, and back to Laxus.

"Alright. Whatever you say," he sighs in overwhelmed defeat. How in the hell is he supposed to argue with a guy that just set his land on fire with his own lightning? Yeah…he really can't.

The exterminator gathers up his things by the porch steps and treads inside to lay out the rat bait stations and to spray for the termites and spiders.

As soon as the raven haired man is out of earshot, Lucy turns on the taller, older blonde with a glare and shaking clenched fists by her sides.

"Are you crazy!?" she demands angrily. "Setting the grass on fire!? That…That is…That is the most Natsu-ish thing I have ever seen you do!"

"Don't insult me," Laxus growls out as he crosses his arms. "We didn't have the time to cut it down so I picked the fastest possible route."

Lucy opens her mouth to rebut his statement but snaps it closed as he makes a fairly decent point. She doesn't have a spirit that could have possibly cut acres of farmland within a small amount of time and Laxus doesn't seem like the type of person to spend his time mowing the lawn. Neither of them would want to pay anyone to cut it due to the amount of money that would take.

It really was the only option.

A stupid option…but the only option.

"Fine. Whatever," Lucy sighs in exasperation. "I'm going to go check on the exterminator."

Lucy walks inside to leave Laxus to tend to the now smoldering flames outside the wool wall. The flames have died down considerably since the fire has run out of its source of fuel—the grass. Most of the ground is black with soot and leftover burnt remains of the grass.

A smirk of satisfaction crosses Laxus' face at how well his "Natsu-ish" plan worked.

* * *

A few days later, the exterminator pulls the last trap out of the house and places it on his wagon.

After the whole burning-field incident, the exterminator began to eliminate the pests in Laxus' house. Lucy and Laxus got a room at the inn in town and bought cleaning, storing, and shipping supplies while they waited for the pests to die off. The townspeople initially gave them a wide berth but have slowly started to grow accustomed to the presence—even if they are still relatively hesitant of them.

During the waiting period of the rodents and insects to die, Laxus and Lucy cleaned the house from top to bottom with multiple bottles, cans, and sprays of disinfectants, bleaches, scrubs. Dust was wiped from every corner and windows were washed both on the inside and outside. By the time they were done, the whole house seemed to gain a brighter outlook than what it had just a few days ago.

While they were cleaning they discussed what should be done after the house has been cleaned out. Lucy opted for the house to be renovated while Laxus was content with it remaining untouched. The woman won him over though when she stated that renovating the house would make it astronomically easier to sell if the place is fixed up rather than being run down and haunted looking. Should he ever want to sell it, of course.

After the house is cleaned out, they will take inventory of all of the fixtures around the house that need to be replaced, fixed, or added.

"Everything should be good now," the exterminator nods with a small smile.

"Thanks so much," Lucy says brightly as Laxus pays him.

"If you have any more problems, just let me know," he nods again before he gets on his wagon and drives off.

"Alright!" Lucy gives a small fist pump with a determined gleam in her eye. "Let's get started!"

Both mages decided earlier that they'll do the exact same procedure with this house as they did with Makarov's old family house: take everything out of the attic, put it in the living room, and sort it into piles of garbage, storage, or keep.

They both head up to the attic while carefully avoiding the planks of floorboard that they know to be more unstable than the rest. Lucy calls Virgo out to help and all three begin to carry boxes from the attic to the living room.

They spend the rest of the day just moving boxes from the attic to the living room since they are not sure how much reliable the attic floor truly is. The last thing they need is for the floor to collapse and have everything tumble downward and break.

Two dozen boxes are hauled downward and placed around the living room. Smaller pieces of furniture are also brought down and placed in the dining room. By the time the sun is beginning to set, half of the attic has been cleared out.

* * *

After a hearty breakfast, Lucy and Laxus return to the house. The air is crisp and refreshing to the two Fairy tail mages.

As Lucy passes the lording burnt tree in front of the house, she can't help but glance upwards at it. Every day that she arrives at the house, she can't help but feel this wicked energy emancipating from that damn tree although she has no idea why or where that feeling comes from.

 _Why is the tree burnt? Who burned it?_ she wonders inside of her head. She shakes her head inconspicuously and forgets the thoughts since she's probably just overthinking the situation.

The boxes await their return. Laxus cracks his neck as he starts the laborious task of unpacking all of the boxes while Lucy opens all of the windows throughout the house to let the refreshing air inside.

Laxus picks a crate with the top nailed shut to begin with. He takes a crowbar that he bought earlier that week, and slips one end under the cover. With a harsh pop, Laxus opens up the hard crate to see bundles of silk sheets. Surprise crosses his face at the odd discovery. Why would Gramps have silk sheets? He drops the crowbar and reaches inside to pull one bundle out. Turning it over in his hands, he unwraps it to uncover a porcelain doll.

She has a pure white face, tar black curly hair, small pouty red lips, big bright blue eyes, and a light blue frilly dress. One of her fingers has a small crack and a few loose threads stem from the hem on her dress but the rest is in perfect condition. A small shiver runs down Laxus' spine as he carefully turns the doll over in his hand and back in examination.

Now as a confident, proud, self-assured man, Laxus will never—to the point of taking his secret dislike to his grave—admit that he finds ceramic dolls creepy. He doesn't hate all dolls, just the ceramic ones. Cloth, straw, hell—even wooden dolls are fine. Otherwise, he and Bickslow would have never been friends. It's just the damn ceramic ones.

How can a person not find them creepy? With their unblinking eyes that magically seem to follow you everywhere you go, plotting half smiles, and stony fingers that look like they want to grab you when you're not looking. They look so breakable, yet they always have this permeant air about them.

They're fucking creepy as shit.

So there is no way is the deepest levels of hell that he is going to keep her. Absolutely, positively, undeniably no…fucking…way.

 _Maybe Lucy will want her?_ he immediately thinks to himself.

Without much more consideration, he listens for Lucy's footsteps in order to find out where she is in the house. The sound of a warped window being opened from upstairs grabs his attention.

"Hey Lucy!" he yells up the stairs as he stands in the foyer.

Lucy comes around the corner from the smaller bedrooms and leans over the railing. "Yeah?"

"What should I do with this doll?" Laxus asks with a disturbed grimace as he holds up the porcelain doll.

Lucy cocks her head to the side in thought as she bites on the inside of her lip. "Is that porcelain?

Laxus looks down at the doll in thought before looking back up. "I think so?" he states, albeit hesitantly.

"Hmmm…Is that the only one?"

"Don't know."

"Well, see if there's anymore. If that's porcelain then she can worth some money. Especially if she's old," Lucy gives big sage-like nods.

He grunts as he drops his eyes back to the doll in his hand. Seriously, this thing gives him the creeps. Fuck, he hopes that there isn't any more of these goddamned things.

Lucy gives him a suspicious look but drops the subject. "I'm going to go into the attic once I'm finished with the windows. I saw a few smaller boxes up there and I'm going to bring those down."

"Suit yourself," he grumbles as he walks back into the living room with a disturbed look on his face as he stares at the evil dolly.

Her lips twitch upward as she resumes her window opening. The two in the master bedroom stick harder than the others and she has to call Virgo out to unlock them but the air is worth the effort. Virgo leaves her Master's side to assist Laxus with opening the boxes to make the process go by faster.

Lucy takes the lightning infused lacrima that Laxus created and carries it into the attic. Since the electrical system is completely shot, they have to rely on sunlight and Laxus' lightning to light the darkness of the attic.

Placing the lacrima on a nearby box, she finds the small boxes placed on top of one another at the center of the lines of boxes across the attic. She moves one box off with a huff and places it by the stairs.

As she returns for the second box she notices a dusty golden frame sitting on top of noticeably older boxes behind the ones she came up to the attic for. She quickly pulls and pushes the other two boxes out of the way to get a closer look at the frame and the boxes underneath it.

 _These boxes look to be decades older than ones that Virgo, Laxus, and I brought down yesterday,_ Lucy thinks to herself in speculation. She observes that the boxes next to the frame are the same as the ones underneath it and figures that the other half of the attic is filled with older belongings.

Turning back toward the frame, she notices that the old golden framed picture is about the size of her chest and abdomen and is smothered in so much dust that she can't see what is in the picture. With a disgusted face, she holds the frame at arm's length and blows a puff of air over the surface. Dust flies into the air and into her face.

"Uh!" she coughs as she pulls her head away from the now floating dust. "Gross," she mumbles as she grabs the rag in her back pocket.

Ever so gently, Lucy takes a large swipe over the picture to clear a line of the dust. A woman and man's faces appears on the picture to stare at the blonde woman. Lucy blinks in surprise and quickly wipes away most of the other dust for a clearer picture.

The woman appears to be in her early twenties while the man looks to be middle aged. They both have tan skin, narrow black eyes, straight black hair, and pointed ears. The woman has a straight pointed nose while the man has a hump in his nose. A scruffy black beard covers the bottom of the man's face but shows the strong jawline and chin that he possesses. She has a small smile on her face while the man is scowling. They are both dressed in black and his hand is placed on her shoulder. Both are tall—the woman being only a few inches shorter than the man—and the woman has a nice, feminine figure while the man has lean muscles.

Lucy narrows her eyes and furrows her brows in thought at the picture. _They seem so familiar. Like I've seen them somewhere before. But where…?_

Several minutes pass as Lucy wracks her brain for any memory of the pair. She feels like the answer is right on the tip of her tongue but she can't seem to grasp it.

"Princess?" Virgo asks stoically from behind her.

Lucy jumps at sudden voice and spins around to face the spirit. "Virgo," she sighs out in relief, "Don't do that."

"My apologies, Princess. Would you like to punish me?"

"No thanks, Virgo. What's up?"

"Blondie is requesting your assistance in the parlor. He needs to discuss the presence of the antique dolls with you."

"Oh…right," Lucy sighs in exasperation.

Of course he's not sure about the damn dolls. Antique, porcelain dolls do not seem to be a fascination of Laxus' in the slightest so the man wouldn't have a clue about what to do with them. She's not entirely sure about what they should do about them to be honest. She's not a fan of those types of things but she's also not one of those weird people that find them scary either.

 _I wonder who they belonged to?_ Lucy wonders as she cups her chin in thought. _They couldn't have been Masters or Laxus'. They probably would have been destroyed long ago if they were. Maybe, Ivan's...? Nah. Then that would leave—_

Her head snaps up and twists around to stare wide eyed at the framed picture. Realization hits her so hard that she nearly falls over.

"That's where I know them!" she cheers happily as she finally obtains her answer. She carefully grabs the framed photo and tells Virgo to bring more boxes down before heading downstairs.

Lucy finds Laxus giving a line of porcelain dolls on the couch a murderous glare once she arrives in living room. "Took ya long enough," he grumbles as he refuses to take his eyes off the dolls.

"Well, I found something very interesting," she replies with a hint of a knowing smile.

Laxus hesitantly turns away from the dolls to raise a curious eyebrow at her.

"I think I found a picture of your grandmother," Lucy replies with a wide smile as she turns the picture around and holds it up for Laxus to see.

Laxus' eyebrows almost shoot into his hairline in surprise. He quickly closes the distance between himself and the picture.

"That's my…" he wonders with wide expecting eyes.

Lucy nods her head happily. "It took me a few minutes but I'm pretty sure that's her. The picture is old and your dad bears a strong resemblance to both of them," she explains as she looks downward at the photo.

Laxus closely examines the picture. He can clearly see the dark skin, black hair, and pronounced pointed ears of both of the people; all traits of his father. Hell, even the man's beard and gaze are similar.

"So that's her…" he whispers is slight awe. _She's beautiful_ , he thinks in wonder. "The guy looks just like my dad," he states with a complicated frown.

Lucy shrugs her shoulders. "He's probably her father. So that would make him your great-grandfather. He's definitely old enough and they obviously know each other if they had a photo taken together. Not to mention the fact that your dad is almost the spitting image of him, minus the Dreyar eyebrows and eye shape."

Laxus scowls at her but she ignores him.

"At least you know what she looks like now," Lucy claims proudly as she crosses the room to lay the picture against the wall beneath the window.

"I wonder if there are any more pictures," he ponders as he crosses his arms and stares down at the framed photo.

"Probably," Lucy nods confidently. "Maybe Makarov put all of her belongings here? I don't know why he would do that but it would explain why there was none of her stuff back in Magnolia."

Laxus rolls his eyes up in thought before nodding with a frown. "Yeah, I have no clue either. If we find any more than let's put them with this one."

"Sure thing," Lucy gives him a big strong nod in confirmation. "Now," she claps her hands together, "what's up with the dolls?"

Laxus' face falls into a grimace before sending a dirty look at the group of dollies on the couch. "This is all of them. I have no idea what to do with them."

Lucy walks closer and bends over to look at each one. The craftsmanship on each one is incredibly detailed and precisely executed.

"They're beautiful," Lucy whispers in a hushed voice as she studies each one.

"No, they're fucking weird," Laxus scoffs under his breath.

Lucy bends around with a questionable gaze. "Why would say that?" she asks with curiosity dancing in her voice.

Laxus visibly stiffens at being caught. He looks pointedly away as he refuses to address the question. _Shit…_

Lucy's eyes narrow is suspicion as she looks between him and the dolls. An amused smirk spreads over her lips as a chuckle bubbles up her throat.

"Laxus?" she asks with an undertone of laughter. "Are you afraid of dolls?"

"No," he answers immediately. Internally, he cringes at how that sounded like an obvious denial.

Lucy's eyes brighten at his obvious denial.

"Laxus…" she leads with a mischievous smile.

"I'm not afraid of them," he tries to clarify without sounding like he's trying cover up anything. "I just really fucking hate those fucking things," he pouts miserably.

A chuckle bubbles up Lucy's throat but she catches it as she tightly purses her lips together. Mirth glows in her eyes as laughter grows in her the back of her throat.

"Really?" she barely rasps as a chuckle slips out. Her humor cannot be held back any longer and she brings a hand to her mouth to quiet the laughter that erupts from her lips.

"Don't laugh!" he demands in irritation as he watches her laugh at him.

"Aww, come on! It's funny!" she claims as light laughter continues to bleed through the flesh of her palm.

He turns pointedly away and pouts like a sulky kid. "Yeah, no. It's not."

"Why don't you like them?" she asks with a wide smile, still unable to stop herself from finding this situation totally hilarious.

"Just don't. Never did."

"Why were you friends with Bickslow then? He used dolls."

"He used wooden dolls. These are ceramic. There's a difference," he huffs with a childlike pout.

"Why?" she asks incredulously, now legitimately curious.

He shrugs his massive shoulders and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Bickslow's babies weren't creepy. They were just wooden tiki dolls. They didn't appear life-like. I don't mind dolls as long as they don't appear too life-like; like the ceramic ones. I don't know why. All I know is that I just fucking hate that fucking things," he throws his thumb over at the dolls on the couch.

A stray bubble of laughter erupts in Lucy's throat but she shoves it down and nods her head. "Okay, I get ya," she winks at him knowingly.

Who would have thought that the big, bad S-Class lightning dragon slayer of the most powerful magical guild in Fiore…is afraid of ceramic dolls.

Laxus scowls at her as he gives her a death glare. "If you tell anyone about this…I swear to the Gods…" he threatens.

"Alright, alright, I'll never mention it," Lucy waves him off with her hand without worrying about his threat. "Although…" she gives him a mischievous look, "…I think I just figure out what I want to be for Halloween this year."

A shadow of dread descends over Laxus' eyes as he imagines Lucy dressed up in a frilly doll outfit and has her face painted stone white.

"Don't you fucking dare," he hisses.

"I think I'll have Virgo make my dress. What do you think?" she teases innocently and playfully.

A vein pops in Laxus' forehead and he opens his mouth to threaten the poor woman again when an idea pops into his head.

"Fine then," Laxus' lips pull into a shit-eating smirk. "If you do that then I guess I'll have to be a zombie that wants to kill all porcelain dolls."

Lucy's eyes bulge out of their sockets as she leans back in exaggerated fright. " _You_ … _wouldn't_ ," she hisses out lowly in a challenge.

Laxus' eyes narrow is mischief. "Try me," he dares as a grin spreads over his face. He never would have guess that knowing that zombies are at the top of the Lucy's most hated monster list, would have ever come in handy.

Lucy studies the suspicious man for a moment. Realizing that this battle could turn into a full out war, Lucy decides to let him win this one.

"Fine," Lucy relents with a sigh. "I won't make any more jokes about dolls if you don't ever mention anything about zombies.

"Deal."

 **Laxus' new haircut is the one he has during the Grand Magic Games in the canon, if anybody is wondering.**

 **Sorry this took so long for me to post. Thanks for reading and remember to follow, favorite, and/or drop me a review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

Lucy examines the porcelain dolls for any damages after their little fear-debate. Most of the dolls are in perfect condition and will probably fetch a decent profit. The most interesting part, however, are not the dolls. It was the little girl's name that is written on the bottom of each of the little dolly's shoes: Zlata Ivanov.

Laxus' grandmother's name was Zlata.

Lucy is ecstatic that she can finally give the mysterious woman a name. Laxus appears indifferent but on the inside he is quite pleased.

Lucy gently wraps each doll in a silk blanket and meticulously places each one back in their respective place inside the box. Laxus is happy to watch the things disappear from sight.

With renewed vigor, the two blondes begin to unpack the rest of Zlata's belongings.

* * *

The next four days pass peacefully and busily for the celestial mage and lightning dragon slayer. They spent their time unpacking the boxes that had already been brought down from the attic and discovered some very…interesting items.

Apparently, Zlata loved to collect strange antiques, oddities, and curiosities; most of which, Lucy and Laxus didn't have any freaking, flying clue about.

They spent half of the time just trying to figure out what the hell everything was.

In the end, they deduced what some of the items were while others remain a mystery. A taxidermy tarantula, a shrunken skull, tarot cards, a fake hand used for reading palms, wooden dentures, matryoshka dolls, a rusted scimitar, and a metal syringe are all of the things that where blatantly obvious. Everything else from some kind of small wooden table with risen sides to a leather holster with chains and locks to a few long, slender bones stumps the two wizards.

They made the collective decision that they need an antique specialist to tell them what each item is. So they put all of the things back in their respective boxes and stored them in the dining room.

Now that the first set of boxes has been searched, more need to be relocated from the attic. Laxus moves some of the "newer" boxes from the attic until all of they are moved downstairs. Lucy remains in the attic to wipe away dust and old, dangling cobwebs from the rafters that couldn't have been reached before while he unpacks the boxes below.

The last cobweb that she can reach is nestled in the corner of the roof. A disgusted grimace mars her lips as she finally snatches the last remnant of the filthy spiders with her duster. Stepping backwards with a sigh of satisfaction, Lucy's ankle hits something heavy.

She turns her head downward with a hum to see that she backed into the bottom of two large, dark wooden chests that are stacked upon one another. They are pushed into a far corner so they practically blend in with the shadows and walls. An insatiable curiosity rises within her heart.

Lucy unlatches the top chest latch to push the lid backwards and is surprised to see nothing but journals. Red journals, blue journals, multi-colored journals, journals with designs on the cover, journals with colored paper were laid in two rows with the spines pointing upwards.

A sense of wonder and fascination overcomes Lucy as she continues to stare at the contents. She gently glides her fingers along a row of spines. All of the books are placed so delicately so that none are being pressed too harshly by another and create a beautiful array of colors and textures.

"What are these…?" she mummers quietly in captivation as her fingers stop on one journal with an old black leather cover. It would seem that there is another person who liked to write in the Dreyar family.

The curiosity blooming in her heart becomes too much. Biting on her lip, she pulls out the leather bound journal and turns it over in her hand. The cover matches the spine and has a small flower design pressed into the front.

Opening the book to the first page, Lucy sees thin plain writing covering the lined paper. No date is listed and the words look to be a continuation of a paragraph in a previous journal. Lucy flips a couple of pages until she sees a date at the beginning of a new entry.

 _November 09, 719,_

 _It was another day at the guild. The last of the Halloween decorations have finally been taken down. That's the last time that I hang paper webs in the rafters at the guild hall. The only reason I was able to get the damn things down was because Makarov was kind enough to use his magic and grab them for me. I swear that man—_

"Lucy!" Laxus calls up the attic stairs. "Are you going to come help me or not!?"

Lucy jumps from being startled at Laxus' loud voice.

"Coming!" she yells back as she quickly shuts the book and slides it back into its place. While she deeply wishes to read more of the journal, she has to help Laxus right now. Who wrote it? Why was Makarov mentioned? The small amount she read left her craving for more.

She quickly shuts the chest, grabs the cobweb-ridden duster, and slips down the stairs to join her partner.

* * *

Later into the evening, Laxus leaves the house to get some dinner from the local diner.

While Lucy is waiting for the Laxus to get back, she decides that she is going to go get the chests with all of the journals from the attic.

Once she walks up the steep stairs, she easily finds the chests. With a firm grip on the top chest's side handle, she pulls with all of her strength and a loud groan.

The chest doesn't move an inch.

Lucy puffs out her cheeks in annoyance until a lightbulb appears over her head.

"Open Gate of the Golden Bull, Taurus!"

Her perverted, mooing spirit appears with a flash of bright light with his axe in both hands. "Miss Luuuuuucy! Your booooobs look goooood!"

"Not now, Taurus," she sighs in exasperation. She points to the dark wood chest and commands, "Please pick that up and take it downstairs to the living room."

"Yes, Miss Luuuucy," he agrees happily as he effortlessly picks up the upper chest.

His happy mood, however, quickly turns sour when he realizes that he and the chest will not fit through the small door to the attic stairs. Thinking on his feet—or hooves—he takes his axe and pulls it to the side. Lucy screams frantically at the half bull/half man to not destroy anything but Taurus ignores her and immediately smashes a large hole in the wall. A rumble echoes through the house as pieces of wall and the attic door crumble onto the stairs beneath. With a proud smirk, Taurus hauls the chest above his head and runs down the stairs, leaving behind a gaping Lucy.

Dread skims through her body when she imagines what Laxus will think once he returns. The man leaves for thirty minutes and she winds up putting a hole in his house. Might as well go to the freaking bank and make a withdrawal right now because she has no doubt that she'll be paying for the damages.

A loud crash resonates upstairs and Lucy deduces that Taurus has made another Taurus-shaped hole in the door leading from the hallway to the stairs. Hanging her head in dejection she prays that her spirit will not destroy anything else with the second chest.

Twenty-five minutes later, Laxus returns with plates of food in hand. The sight that greets him as he walks into the living room is Lucy sitting on the floor looking at an open leather-bound book in her hands with an unlocked chest in front of her and an identical chest off to the side.

"What's that?" Laxus asks as he places the food on the floor beside her.

Lucy yelps in surprise and spins her head up.

"Oh god, Laxus, you scared me," she sighs and places a hand to her chest in relief.

He squats down next to the chest to take a seat across from her. Lucy holds out the open journal to him just as he places his plate in front of him on the floor.

"I found these in the attic. It looks like Zlata was a writer," she explains.

Laxus' eyebrows rise into hairline in surprise. His eyes drop down to the journal to see the plain handwriting. The lettering is narrow and slightly tilted to the left but is otherwise perfectly legible.

"This is my grandma's?" he asks in minor shock. "How can you tell?"

"Makarov and the old guild hall are mentioned in this one," Lucy explains as she retracts the hand. "From the way it's written, it's obvious that a woman is the author. Unless there was some other woman who lived in this house, knew Master sixty-six years ago, and was a part of Fairy Tail, then it's pretty safe to assume that it's Zlata."

Laxus scowls at her for making him sound like he asked a stupid question. He shifts his eyes over to the open chest and peers inside.

"She wrote in all of these?" he asks with a frown as he eyes the massive amount of journals.

"Yep," Lucy nods, "and the other chest has more journals too."

Laxus grunts to himself in slight disbelief before he turns back toward his food.

Lucy watches the man take a bite out his food as she waits for him to be comfortable enough to ask the burning question that has been riding her tongue.

"So I kinda read a few pages before you got here," she starts with a sweet, innocent voice. "It's very, very interesting and I really want to read more."

Laxus pauses mid-chew and slowly raises his eyes to watch her idly poke at her own food apprehensively.

"So?" he grunts.

"Soooo, I was hoping that I could continue my readings some time. Perhaps tonight?" she adds while acting overly-innocent.

Laxus swallows his food, scowls at her, and sighs in exasperation.

"And why are you asking me about this?" he drawls out in an impassive tone.

Lucy flicks her eyes up, only to narrow them in irritancy.

"I just thought that since the books technically belong to you, I would need your permission first, you idiot," she huffs indignantly.

Laxus merely frowns at her like she's the idiot in the room.

"And why the fuck would I care about that kind of shit?" he asks.

A tick forms on Lucy's brow as she begins to glare daggers at him.

"Because you are a rude, imprudent jackass that acts like a child whenever anyone touches his stuff," she spits in retaliation.

Laxus' eyes narrow into a glare to meet Lucy's.

"Well you're the brat who likes to touch all of my stuff," he shoots back, albeit with an undertone of playfulness.

"I do not like to touch your stuff!" she declares adamantly, the corner of her lips rising slightly.

"Do too," he replies while continuing to stare her down.

"Do not."

"Do too."

"I do not," Lucy pouts and sticks her nose in the air in the attempt to hold back her smile. "Your stuff has disgusting boy germs all over it."

A cheeky smirk spreads over Laxus' lips. "Yeah, they're called cooties. I get them from playing in the mud and fighting all day."

A scoff bubbles within Lucy's throat before erupting into full blown laughter. Laxus smiles as Lucy laughs behind her hand at the childishness of their conversation. Laughter turns to giggles before falling silent as they both smile and stare at each other with mirth dancing in their eyes.

"We're ridiculous," Lucy says through her lingering smile. "Well? Can I read them or not?"

"Sure," Laxus complies with his own small smile before returning to his meal.

"Thanks, Laxus," Lucy thanks him kindly before she takes the first bite of her meal.

Laxus chuckles internally. Looking at his teammate, a warm feeling of comfort and joy fills his chest. It's moments like these that make him realize how close of a friendship he has with Lucy. They are able to joke and tease one another without hurting the other's feelings. They are also able to speak honestly with one another. She will always be there to help him, even when he needs to be alone; and he does the same for her. He knows he can always rely on her if he ever has any problems or concerns.

It's an honest, open friendship that he is truly thankful to have; because he never thought he would ever have anyone like her.

Shifting his eyes and thoughts away from his teammate, he looks over to the chest beside him. A weird thought strikes him suddenly and he frowns in confusion.

"How the hell did you get that thing through the attic door?" Laxus asks suspiciously as he cocks a curious eyebrow at his partner.

Lucy cringes with as her wide, guilty eyes dart away.

"You see, about that…" she trails off with a nervous chuckle.

* * *

The next morning, Laxus is walking along the dirt path to the house. Worry has been weighing on his heart ever since he awoke an hour earlier.

Lucy wasn't at the hotel. She didn't leave a note or anything. Nothing.

The last time he saw her was when he was falling asleep and she was sitting on her bed reading one of his grandmother's journals. Just like she had said the evening before, she took a few of the journals back to their hotel room. He watched as her face morphed with the emotions she felt while she read: laughter, shock, surprise, sadness, it was all clear on her face.

He expected to wake up and find her reading a book or working on her novel like he does every morning but she was nowhere to be found.

His initial thought was that she went to get breakfast so they could get started early but that idea was discarded when she didn't show up for over thirty minutes. From the look of the room, Laxus deduced that no one could have broken in and kidnapped her since there were no signs of a struggle so she must have left the room some time during the night. So why did she leave?

Where would Lucy go in the middle of the night in a small town out in the middle of nowhere?

The house.

It is the only explanation.

Hoping that he was correct, Laxus quickly got dressed and headed out. Each footstep breed more fear within his heart as he worried that Lucy isn't at the estate and something actually had happened to her.

As he nears the property, Laxus sees Lucy's figure in the living room window. His worry evaporates now that he knows she is safe but is quickly replaced by irritation that the woman would just leave without so much as a fucking note.

Yet, concern begins to flow into his heart to replace the agitation as he gets closer and Lucy becomes more visible. Lucy is looking out of the living room window at the burnt tree with her hand curled against her chest and a deeply disturbed look on her face. His concern piques and his steps slightly hasten to see what is wrong with the celestial mage.

As he reaches her side, she takes no notice of him and continues to stare at the tree.

"Hey, you okay?" he asks in a firm voice, thinking that anything softer might not have been heard by the woman.

Lucy opens her mouth slightly before pausing in consideration. After a long moment she says in uneasy voice, "I knew there was something wrong with that tree."

Laxus hums in confusion as he turns his head to look at the blackened tree. A small breeze blows through the broken branches and the looser pieces of dead wood creak and crack. Sure, the thing is creepy and eerie—how else would you describe a dead, burnt tree in someone's front yard? But Lucy makes it seem like its haunted or something.

Laxus looks back down and Lucy and says, "What the hell are you tal-"

"Can we get rid of it?" she pleads as she looks up at him with big worried eyes.

Laxus scowls at the woman.

"How about you tell me why you want to get rid of it first," he replies as he crosses his arms.

Lucy purses her lips before casting one more glance at the tree. She turns around and begins to head toward the den. Laxus silently follows behind her waiting for his explanation. Both blondes enter the den and while Lucy sits down on her spot on the couch, Laxus stares at the piles of journals around her in incredulity. It looks like she has pulled all of his grandmother's journals out of the two chests and laid them carefully around her for easy access.

"Did you read all of these?" he asks, amazement slipping into his voice.

"Kinda?" Lucy answers with a guilty, wry smile as she scratches her cheek.

"How?" he asks slightly baffled.

Lucy points to a pair of Gale Force reading glasses on the floor. Laxus' face melts into a frown.

"Is this why you left last night?" he asks gruffly as he crosses his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you. You were asleep and I thought that I would be back after I grabbed a few more books but then I started reading more and more and…I guess I lost track of the time," she explains and apologizes.

Laxus scowls and huffs through his nose.

"You haven't slept have you?" Laxus sighs. Why is he not surprised?

Lucy crosses her arms and puffs her cheeks out in annoyance.

"Once I started reading Zlata's story I just couldn't put it down. You wouldn't either if you had read them! It's so captivating to read someone's thoughts and feelings and learn about their life through them. You just can't stop yourself from continuing on," she declares adamantly in protest.

Her face and posture then melts into one gloomier.

"I just…I had no idea that her and Master went through so much," she mutters quietly and sadly.

Laxus eyebrows rise slightly.

"What do you mean?" he asks curiously as he sits down on the other end of the couch and sits back against the back cushion.

Lucy gently shakes her head to clear her thoughts before smiling sadly at him.

"I'll give you the short version of what I read because there's a lot to go through," she explains as she curls her legs under her.

He gives her a grunt of acceptance. No matter what he says, he has always been curious about his grandmother. His gramps and pops might have refused to speak of her but that didn't stop him from wondering about her from time to time when he was younger. So there's no way he is going to pass up the opportunity of learning something about her.

"This house is incredibly old," Lucy starts as she waves her hand around the room. "It was built over three hundred years ago. The tree in the front yard was planted when the house was first built. By the time Zlata came along, she was the seventh generation of the Ivanov family to live in this place. She always intended to pass this house along to her children and their children after that, which means," she points knowingly at Laxus, "you are the _ninth_ generation of that family to ever own this house."

Laxus eyes widen marginally at the piece of information.

"Bullshit," he pops his lips in disbelief.

Lucy quickly shakes her head.

"It's true!" she rebuffs him with a confident smirk.

A scowl spreads over Laxus' lips as he closes his eyes.

"No, I believe you," he states simply.

Lucy merely shrugs before relaxing back into the couch.

"Anyway," she continues, "Zlata was the only daughter of the town drunk and a farmer's daughter. When she was very young her mother hung herself in that tree. Zlata was the one who found her when she went outside to play on the swing."

Laxus' eyes shoot open and he looks at Lucy in shock.

Lucy gives him big, understanding nods. "It surprised me too when I read it. But what is really disturbing is how nobody thought anything of it. Everyone just passed it off as being a part of the 'Ivanov Curse'."

"Ivanov Curse?" Laxus interjects in confusion as his eyebrows crease.

A large shiver wracks Lucy's body as her she gulps. "Apparently…Zlata's mother was not the only one to commit suicide. Zlata's grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, aunt, two cousins, and some of her ancestors all committed suicide in that very same tree. The townspeople deemed the trend the 'Ivanov Curse'. It means that anyone born into the Ivanov family will ultimately die with that tree."

Laxus' jaw and stomach drop.

"Why didn't they cut the damn thing down then?" he asks incredulously.

Lucy holds up her hands in a shrug and shakes her head in uncertainty.

"Don't look at me. I've been here for four days and I already want to get rid of it," she agrees wholeheartedly.

Laxus scowls and shakes his head in shame. Just when he thought his family couldn't get any more fucked up; now he's got a supposed "curse" on top of his head. Just fucking perfect.

"Anyway," Lucy waves her hands as if to clear the heavy air. "After Zlata's mother passed away she was left to grow up with only her dad and the guy was a horrible father figure. She had to go and fetch him from the bars at least three times a week in the middle of night to bring him home. When he was sober, all he would talk about is how much the world owed him and that he was better than everyone else. He was always coming up with get-rich-quick schemes and if he ever got any money he would just go out that night and spend it all on booze. No one in Razdol'noye liked the guy.

"Unfortunately, Zlata gained dislike from the townspeople because she was the town drunk's daughter. She didn't have any friends so she kept herself busy by running the house and writing in her journals. By the time she was twenty, she dreamed about leaving Razdol'noye and never coming back. One night she wrote how she wanted more excitement in her life and to meet more exciting people…

"…A week later she met Makarov Dreyar."

Laxus snorts in amusement. "Hell of an answer to her wish."

"I know right," Lucy chuckles before continuing. "Makarov wasn't Master by this time so he was there on a job. He was the first person that actually treated Zlata like a human being and essentially became her first friend. He invited her to come to Fairy Tail with him and she agreed. Her father was obstinately against it and forbade her to go but she didn't listen and she ran off with Makarov.

"Once she arrived in Magnolia, she became the barmaid at the guild hall. She didn't have any magic so she couldn't go on jobs like the other members but that didn't stop her from basically becoming the mother of the guild and helping take care of everyone.

"She always sent letters and pictures to her father about her new life but he never responded. It always made her feel slightly guilty and heartbroken for leaving him but Makarov reassured her that she only did what was best for herself. Over the next couple of years, her and Makarov got together and were married in X721," she squeaks out the last sentence as she ducks her head with a heavy blush on her cheeks.

Zlata described her relationship with Makarov—both emotionally and physically—in her writings in tremendous… _detail_. Lucy knows that she should have skipped the more private and romantic parts but she just couldn't bear knowing that she purposefully didn't read everything about the woman's life. Although she really didn't need to know that the little perverted old man could enlarge _all_ of his body parts at will. Way too much information in that department.

Laxus hums in mild confusion as he watches the blonde woman shake her head while her hands cover her red cheeks. Why does he get the feeling that he doesn't want to hear whatever the fuck is going through her head?

Lucy's face and demeanor then melts into one much grimmer as her blush totally disappears. "After they got married, their relationship turned into an emotional, physical, and mental rollercoaster that no one person was to blame for."

Laxus furrows his eyebrows in question but remains silent.

"After almost four years of being happily married, they wanted to have kids," Lucy continued her face still bleak. "He and Zlata wanted to have as many children as possible so they were really excited at the prospect of starting their family. So they tried and after six months Zlata got pregnant—"

"Wait a fucking second," Laxus interjects Lucy with a scowl. His face contorts into one of thought and says, "My dad was born in X734 not X725."

His eyes shoot open and his breath stalls in his chest at an abrupt alarming thought _. Did gramps have another kid and never told me?_ _Do I have an uncle or an aunt somewhere that I don't know about…?_ he trails off in horrified wonder.

Lucy frowns sadly while her eyes become lidded with sympathy when she could practically see where his thought pattern turned.

"Zlata had a miscarriage at two months," she states with a heavy heart.

Laxus' whole body tenses up as his face drops in shock, his thoughts dashed in an instant.

"They didn't give up though," her voice becomes even more somber, "they kept trying over the next four years. During that time, Zlata only got pregnant two more times but she had a miscarriage each of those times as well."

The air from Laxus' lungs stills in his chest and his heart slows down dramatically.

"They had three miscarriages…?" he whispers to himself in horrid shock.

"There was nothing that could have been done. It just happened," Lucy sniffles before inhaling a deep breath.

"Both Makarov and Zlata decided to try to have children at a later time after the third failed pregnancy. They fell into depression afterwards. Makarov's depression lasted for a few weeks but he got better, he wasn't the same as before but he was stable enough; Zlata was not so lucky.

"Zlata feel into a deep depression. For half a year she barely ate, slept, or had a pleasant thought. She had to quit her job at the guild because she was not emotionally capable enough to leave her house. She went into vivid detail on how she felt in her journals; 'A hole so black and empty that no light can be found in its depths' is how she described her heart during that time. She even had thoughts of suicide but she never acted on them.

"Makarov was eventually able to realize how much his wife was suffering so he got her some serious help. He convinced her to see a psychologist and within another six months, she was much healthier with the help of some anti-depressants. She couldn't go back to how she was before the miscarriages but she was better than when she was depressed. She never returned to the guild and remained at home to take care of the housework. During her free time, she continued to write. Makarov insisted that she continue to see the doctor at least once a month, just in case.

"Then the next emotional hit happened. Two years after they stopped trying to have kids, Zlata received word that her father had passed away. Wanna guess how he died?" Lucy says with a complicated frown as she chances a glance at her partner.

"The tree?" he guesses with a tight voice.

"The tree," she answers with a grim sigh.

"On the very same branch where Zlata's mother was found, ironically enough. For some reason, Zlata still didn't get rid of the damn tree after she had a funeral for her father. Said that it was a 'part of her family history'. Sorry, but I find that just plain creepy. Just saying," she grimaces with that disturbed look again.

Laxus nods in agreement.

"Well, it turns out that her dad had some debts. He took out several loans from loan sharks and upon realizing that he couldn't pay them back, he took his life. So, of course, the loan sharks approached Zlata and Makarov and told them that they either pay the full amount that was owed to them or they get the house in consolation. Since the house meant so much to Zlata, Makarov obliged and paid off all of his father-in-law's debts.

"Afterwards, Zlata feel into a minor depression. It was nothing like the one before but she felt tremendously guilty for not being there for her father while he was alive. After seeing the psychologist, she got better; she still felt guilty but she lived with it.

"She and Makarov continued on with their lives and they were relatively happy for another three years. Makarov took higher paying jobs so he could earn back everything that they spent on the bills and debts they had to pay off. He was gone for longer periods of time but Zlata always understood why he had to leave.

"Then everything went south once again," Lucy sighs sadly once more.

Laxus gives her a slightly annoyed look. What could possibly go wrong this time?

"Zlata became pregnant for the fourth time in X734."

"Did they have another miscarriage? My pops has to be born at some point you know," he scowls.

"Worse," she grimaces. "They didn't conceive just one child, but _four_. During the beginning weeks of her fourth pregnancy, Zlata was pregnant with quadruplets. But three of them died in the first trimester so she was only left with one."

Laxus felt his shoulders and jaw go entirely slack, horror and disbelief written all over his face. Completely, utterly speechless and stupefied.

"Makarov and Zlata were so paranoid and terrified about losing the remaining baby that they took extreme caution in everything they did. The second and third months rolled around—the time that she had all of her previous miscarriages—but she never had a miscarriage so they were able to keep the baby that time."

A sense of relief swept through Laxus and the tension in his shoulder lessens.

"My dad, I take it?" he asks with a knowing look.

Lucy nods her head. "They were so overjoyed by the news. Overjoyed is a light word for it, in fact. Everything was great…until she was six months into her pregnancy."

"Why?" he asks cautiously.

"She and Makarov were at the guild one day when a dark guild attacked the old Fairy Tail guild hall. Makarov told Zlata to run away and as she was almost out the door, a knife cut her on the arm. She was able to get away before she was hurt any further and Fairy Tail managed to defeat the dark guild in the end."

"Where's the problem in that? It was just a cut," Laxus interjects in confusion.

Lucy shakes her head. "The problem was that the blade was poisoned."

Realization dawns on Laxus and he lightly gasps in shock and surprise.

"Zlata seemed healthy until a week later when she collapsed out of nowhere. Makarov didn't know what exactly was going on but he rushed her to the hospital so the doctors could help her and his baby. The doctor told him that Zlata had been poisoned and by consequence, the poison had also spread to the baby. While he would give Zlata an antidote, the medicine would only be able to cure Zlata; the poison would still continue to affect the child.

"The doctor told Makarov and Zlata that they have two options: he could perform a C-section and birth the baby prematurely so he could give the baby the medicine directly and hope that the antidote works, or they let the baby mature inside of her womb and risk the chance of him either being mentally and physically handicapped or becoming a stillborn upon birth.

"They felt there was only one way to go. Zlata agreed to the surgery in the hopes of saving her child. Zlata wrote about how she cried nonstop for the two days between when she received the news to when she went into surgery. Your dad was born thirteen weeks early. The doctor was barely able to save him but he did live."

"What!?" Laxus exclaims in disbelief and shock as he abruptly stands up. "My pops was born premature!?"

Lucy flinches backwards from the sudden loudness and aggression before nodding her head slowly and meekly.

Suddenly the air felt much heavier and harder to breathe to the blonde man. How the fuck did he not know any of this!? For fuck's sake, the more he digs into his family's history, the more he learns that he knows practically nothing about his own goddamn family! He's a Dreyar as much as Dad or Gramps so why was he left in the dark!? Maybe if he had known all of the shit that they went through then he might have been a little more understanding—

The anger at his own ignorance is quickly overshadowed when the weight of what happened to his grandparents finally hits him.

He plops back down on his side of the couch and bows his head so a shadow hangs over his eyes. Sympathy and pity for his grandparents spreads in his chest and he has to resist the urge to clench at his shirt.

Why did his gramps and grandmother have to be put through all of this? He's sure they weren't saints but they didn't deserve anything like that. They just wanted a family. That's not asking for too much.

Lucy bit on her lip in concern. "Maybe we should sto-"

"No," he stops her harshly. "Finish. I want to know what happened," he quiets his voice to a soft whisper.

Lucy inaudibly gasps in increasing worry but seeing the blonde man look resolute about finding out about his family lights a fire in her veins. She takes a deep calming breath, knowing how serious the following subject is.

"They named him Ivan. It's based on her maiden name," Lucy continues firmly, determined to finish with her story so he can finally know more about his family.

"The hospital nurtured Ivan in a lacrima incubator for thirteen weeks. According to your grandmother, Ivan grew within the incubator normally but the doctors warned her and Makarov that he might have some mental and emotion instability due to the circumstances of his birth. Zlata visited the hospital every day while Makarov visited every day that he was in Magnolia. As much as he wanted to stay with his newborn child, Makarov had to earn money since Zlata wasn't working and there were the huge ongoing medical bills from the hospital. The day that Ivan was released from the hospital was the happiest day of Makarov's life and was supposed to be the happiest day of Zlata's life…but it was actually the worst."

Laxus' eyebrows crease in frustration as he lifts his head.

"Zlata developed severe postpartum depression after she went through the surgery," Lucy continues. "Her mind was in a state of denial during the weeks that Ivan was in the hospital so she was able to attend to her child during that time like any normal person would have. It was only after Ivan was released from the hospital that her depression finally came to a head.

"It was so bad that she couldn't stand to be in the same room as Ivan and Makarov. She didn't eat, she didn't sleep, she hardly spoke, and she had constant thoughts of suicide. She lost over forty pounds of weight. She blamed herself for everything that has happened to her son and everything that could possibly happen to him and it made her hate every ounce of her being. She also believed that any other woman would have been able to give Makarov the large family that she wasn't able to give him. Thoughts of how she failed her family tormented every second of her life. She felt like a complete and useless piece of space that would be better off dead.

"After a few months of self-hatred, Zlata tried to overdose on her anti-depressants," Lucy whispers quietly with a sorrowful look. Laxus' jaw drops and his eyes widen in shock.

"But she threw them up before they took their effect," Lucy continues, still quiet. "A few days later she tried to slit her wrists but dropped the knife down the sink so that one failed as well."

"What!?" he shouts in astonishment.

Lucy solemnly nods her head. "Zlata honestly believed that she was doing her family a favor by trying to kill herself; they would be better off without her."

"Bullshit!" he hisses in anger through clenched teeth.

"It's true."

"What about Gramps!? He would never want that! Why didn't he try to stop her!?" Laxus criticizes with a tight jaw.

Laxus gives him a lopsided frown before sighing sadly.

"He didn't know," she states simply.

All of Laxus' anger dissipates as he blinks at her in a stupor.

"What?" he asks blankly.

"He didn't know that she was depressed and that she was trying to kill herself," she restates for clarification.

Laxus' jaw drops.

"How the fuck did he not know!?" he demands completely dumbfounded. "How could he not see that something was wrong with his wife!?"

Lucy frowns at him and shakes her head at the man beside her.

"Because she was never around him, Laxus. Makarov was working a lot during this time so he wasn't around to get a chance to witness how damaged Zlata was or how she wasn't taking care of their baby. When Makarov was there, she would always leave and make the excuse that she needed to go out or that she needed a nap. Anything to not be near him. She also made sure that Makarov didn't accidently learn about her attempted suicides. Not to mention how he was also busy raising a newborn."

Laxus just stares at Lucy thunderstruck. It baffles him how his gramps could be blind enough to not know that something so severe was happening to his grandma. He gets the whole busy-working-thing and he really can't penalize his gramps for that, but what about when he's at home? Her avoiding him and refusing to speak to him should have been a big fucking clue. Laxus knows he is fucking horrible at reading other people's emotions but even _he_ can pick up on something as obvious as what Lucy describes.

"It's not his fault Laxus," Lucy tries to reassure the lightning slayer. "Zlata did everything in her power to avoid him and purposefully kept her depression hidden from him. Master can't be blamed for that."

Laxus scowls and huffs before looking pointedly away.

"And Master wasn't an idiot," Lucy continues, her voice stronger. "He began to suspect that Zlata was suffering from depression once again so he started watching her more closely. He was about to take action when Zlata disappeared one day."

Intense worry flashes across Laxus' face for a brief moment.

Lucy grimaces as her body droops in sadness. "Zlata came back to this house to kill herself. She thought that the reason that the other attempts failed was because she didn't follow the curse's rule: to die with the tree."

"So when she came back to the house, she wrote her final farewells and prepared everything. She had just finished tying the rope and hanging it in the tree by the time Makarov arrived. According to her, he was furious, despondent, and beyond terrified. They had a screaming match before Zlata finally broke down and relinquished all of her feelings. She cried her eyes out as she told him how much she hates herself for hurting him and Ivan as much as she did. Makarov listened and comforted to her for hours. In the end, he managed to convince her to come back to Magnolia with him."

Lucy glances through her eyelashes at her partner to gauge his reaction. Most of his body is stiff but she can see where his face has relaxed in relief.

"Once they arrived back in Magnolia, Zlata asked Makarov if she can be admitted to a mental health center for long-term treatment. Makarov was staunchly against the idea initially but she persuaded him by saying that she needs extensive help and that she wants to do it for him and their son. So Zlata joined a mental illness clinic in a town named Barberton with Makarov's permission.

"She stayed there for almost nine months. During that time, she had counseling and constant supervision so she couldn't harm herself. Makarov was encouraged to visit as often as possible, which he did when he had the time between jobs and raising Ivan. At first, the doctors recommended that Makarov not mention Ivan because they didn't want her to regress back into her previous state. The treatment did Zlata a world of good. Eventually, once she was beginning to feel better after several months, she wanted to see Ivan and Makarov indulged her. That was the first time she was able held her son without feeling guilty and she was so happy that she cried for hours. Makarov brought Ivan with him whenever he would visit every time after that. Zlata was released and returned home just in time for Ivan's first birthday."

"Sounds like the first year of my pop's life was pretty shitty, if you ask me," Laxus grunts with a scowl. "Almost being killed by poison, being neglected by his mom for months, then being raised by his dad because his mom is in a nut house."

"It couldn't be helped," Lucy replies with a frown of her own at his cynical attitude. "Things happened but they dealt with them and made it through the hard times. That's what counts."

Laxus heavily sighs. "Yeah, I guess."

"Anyway," Lucy waves him off before rolling her eyes up in thought of where she left off in her story. "Oh, right. So after that, the Dreyars lived happily and peacefully over the next few years. Zlata spend every available moment with her son and husband because she didn't want to waste a moment of her life without them. In X736, Makarov was declared the third Master of Fairy Tail by the second Master."

Lucy gives Laxus a sly look and says, "I bet you can't guess what the second Master's name was."

"Precht," he states immediately and indifferently.

Lucy's smile falls. She huffs and puffs her cheek out in annoyance. "Damn you," she grumbles under her breath.

Laxus briefly smirks before it turns into a scowl. "What happened next?"

Lucy side eyes for a moment before relenting her loss with a sigh.

"Well, some more problems arose within your family but it wasn't Zlata It was Ivan."

Laxus scoffs in the back of his throat in an obviously unsurprised manner.

"Apparently, Ivan had some… _developmental_ issues." Lucy holds up hand once she sees Laxus' cock a thick blonde eyebrow at her. "It wasn't physical but rather psychological. Ever since he was born he always had 'antisocial tendencies'. He didn't socialize with other kids, he had a hard time understanding the boundaries between right and wrong, he had a general malevolence towards everyone, and the list goes on.

"Zlata and Makarov took Ivan to a psychologist when he was four to get an idea about where his mental state stood. The doctor told him that due to the circumstances of his birth that this type of attitude could persist throughout his life and that he should be monitored otherwise it could worsen and he could potentially become psychopathic."

"How ironic," Laxus spits.

"They were upset but they accepted the diagnosis," Lucy continued slowly in displeasure of being interrupted before taking deep breath.

"Since Ivan didn't like to be around people, he spent most of his time in Makarov's family house. Zlata was the stay-at-home mom since Makarov had the guild to run so Ivan spent most of his early years with his mother. They were very, very close. Zlata would visit the guild every now and again. Makarov tried to be close to his son like Zlata was but he never managed to accomplish it due to him not being around as much. In fact, they would argue more often than not. But Master always forgave Ivan because he was his son, he understood that he had some mental stability issues, and he loved him. This trend continued on until Ivan was eight years old."

"Why? What happened?" Laxus grunts in confusion.

"I don't know," Lucy admits truthfully with a dejected frown. "The journal entries just end. The last one was dated September 30, X742. I think Zlata must have passed away around that time or something, else she would have kept writing."

Laxus furrows his eyebrows in some unknown emotion to Lucy. He turns his eyes toward the ground and stares at it in silence for several long, pregnant minutes. Lucy is about to ask what he's thinking about before he beats her to the punch.

"So my pops was eight when my grandma stopped writing?" he asks while in deep thought.

Lucy's eyebrows slightly rise in curiosity. "Yeah. Why?"

"Those pictures from Gramp's family house…the earliest ones were taken when my dad was around that age," he answers with a deep scowl, still not raising his eyes from the floor.

Lucy's eyes widen in realization before a burst of determination stirs within her belly. "Maybe some more of the pictures are here! We just have to find them!"

A small, almost silent growl bubbles in Laxus' chest. Inside the blonde man, so many emotions are swirling and crashing into one another. Happiness and satisfaction from finally knowing about his Gramp's past collides with the horror and sadness that he feels for the old man. Irritancy at his dad mixes with pity for the bastard. Guilt begins to spread deep within the waters of his heart. Anxiety from the overwhelming emotions is beginning to make his head spin and his heart throb.

Images of his Grandpa's life conjure within his mind: a young Makarov meeting Zlata in the house for the first time, them getting married, crying in the bed after the miscarriages, him waiting for her to get a C-section, and raising his dad by himself. Unconnected ideas arise in Laxus' mind as he is able to finally link together pieces that never had an association before. The anxiety builds further within his chest.

 _I gotta get out of here…_ he swears internally.

"I'm leaving," he announces suddenly and firmly with a cold voice as he stands up from the couch.

Lucy is taken aback and her eyes trail after him in shock as he heads for the front door.

"Wait! Laxus!?" she yells once she finds her voice again and she runs after him.

He swings the door open so it slams into the inside wall and walks out with his hands in his pockets. Lucy is right on his heels as she steps into the doorway as he walks down the steps.

"Don't wait up," he tells her callously as lightning surrounds his form.

Lucy opens her mouth to ask him where he is going but it is already too late; small sparks fill the air where he stood seconds ago.

Dread and worry seep into her heart and mind in huge waves as she stares at the empty space with wide eyes. Without thought, she steps forward to the spot where he left. Her eyes drift upwards to the horizon as if she will miraculously find him. Concern tightens her throat as a shaky breath passes her lips.

 _Laxus…please don't do anything stupid,_ she calls out to him in her mind.

A breeze blows her long hair across her skin to remind her of where she is. With a final apprehensive glance, she heads back inside.

* * *

It's been eerily quiet at the Ivanov household.

Laxus has been strangely absent since Zlata's journals were found a week ago.

Every day, Lucy wakes up to find him missing from his bed. She knows that he had been there the night before from the messy state of his bedsheets but he is always gone before she wakes up. She arrives to the estate with hopes of finding him there, only to find the big house empty. Initially, she went out to search for him but after walking around town for several hours, felt it to be a waste of time. If Laxus doesn't want to be found, then he's not going to be found. Instead, she decided to let him have some alone time and continued to work on the house.

That didn't stop her from worrying though. The first dew nights, she tried to stay awake and wait for him to come back to their room but she was always too exhausted from organizing all day. Each day passed with her focusing on the tasks in front of her to keep her mind from her missing partner.

In the back of her mind, she knew that Laxus needed to talk to somebody or else his emotions might fester into something unwanted and possibly damaging. But she allowed him to have time to himself so he can straighten out whatever is going on in his head and heart. She has learned that Laxus will only open up when he is ready to open up. He's stubborn like that.

Sympathy arose in her as she contemplated how difficult all of this must be for the guarded man. Laxus has always had reserved feelings about his family and the past month and a half has taken a deep, emotional toll on the guarded man.

Laxus cares very, very deeply for his family. Be that either his blood relatives or the family at the guild, if Laxus loves and cares for someone, it is a true, profound, powerful love that can withstand almost anything. That is why he is so guarded and cold to everyone. He has been hurt as intensely as he has loved. And that terrifies him of being vulnerable again.

So telling him about the pain, heartbreak, and suffering of his family would hurt the man. Laxus went through so much turmoil with his feelings regarding his private family so adding onto those painful memories must be overwhelming.

Lucy wished she could help him but she didn't know where he was. Deep down, she knew that he will come back eventually so she made a firm resolve to help him through this when he does.

Until then, those boxes needed to be sorted.

There were several newspaper clippings detailing Zlata's memorial service. Just as Lucy thought, Zlata died shortly after she wrote her final entry in her journal. The dedication was short but sweet and almost brought Lucy to tears. Zlata was buried in Magnolia Cemetery. That is the same place where Master wanted to be buried so Lucy realized that he must have wanted to be buried alongside his wife.

The idea brought her to tears; both from the sweetness of the gesture to the tragedy of how they will never be reunited in that way.

With some of the older boxes, she found the family registry and history books.

After reading each one in precise detail, cross-referencing certain paragraphs from multiple books, and writing brief notes about each ancestor, Lucy discovered that Laxus isn't truly "cursed", per say.

The Ivanov Curse is more of a history of bad luck than an actual curse.

Apparently, Laxus' ancestors on his grandmother's side weren't the most likeable of people; which wasn't that surprising to Lucy considering what kind of man Zlata's father was. There were writings of how pompous, greedy, arrogant, stupid, cowardly, and/or just plain unlucky the Ivanov family was throughout history.

Apparently, when someone steals food from people and then sells it back to them for a ridiculous price, the people form a mob and hang that person in a tree. Who knew?

Another account detailed a story about how one man was trying to show off to his friend and accidently stepped off the wrong branch and broke his neck when he hit the ground.

The most unfortunate one was a woman who was returning to the house when a branch fell and split her skull open.

Talk about tragic.

Lucy couldn't decide if the whole thing was more ludicrous or horrible.

During the last day, Lucy opened a box full of old photo albums. She looked through each one and found them to be filled with pictures of Zlata, Makarov, and Ivan. It seemed that Makarov stored all of his photos of his earlier life here with the rest of Zlata's past; just as Lucy suspected.

Pictures from when Zlata was a barmaid to her and Makarov's wedding day to them holding Ivan after he was released from the hospital were all right there in Lucy's hands.

And all she could think about how Laxus should see them.

That is when the idea came to her.

Lucy decided to leave the pictures out for him in case he stopped by the house.

Over the week, Lucy realized that Laxus had made repeated stops by the house before he would disappear again. The first time really caught her off guard but made her more relieved and relaxed.

The day after she told Laxus about his grandmother, Lucy discovered the burnt tree lying on its side on the ground in the front yard. Clear indications of the use of blunt magical force were evident by how the trunk of the tree was blown to bits. Pieces of wood shrapnel lay upon the ground surrounding the tree while several crows hovered high in the air.

Without any hesitancy, she went to town and hired a tree remover. Five men came out and shredded the tree until there was nothing left.

Never has she been happier to see a tree turned into sawdust.

After the men packed up and left, Lucy felt like the whole estate released a dark secret that had been lingering too long. It almost felt…peaceful.

The other times were minimal but noticeable. Some of Zlata's journals were taken out of their crate and opened. There was a broken window in the living room and lingering static in the air when she found Zlata's funeral announcements on the living room couch another day.

So Lucy left that night with the hopes that seeing pictures of the young family brings some comfort to her friend.

The next day, Lucy walks to the house expecting another long, quiet day of cleaning when she sees the door slightly ajar.

Lucy opens the front door and treads inside cautiously, stopping short when she looks over and sees Laxus sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of an open crate in the living room. His back is facing her and he appears to be a statue by how quiet and still he stays.

Concern, heartache, and worry flood Lucy's heart. She gently calls out to him from the foyer.

Laxus doesn't flinch.

Worry overcomes Lucy and she cautiously steps forward with soft, measured steps as if he will run away from her in a moment's notice.

As she gets closer, she can see one of the photo albums lying in his lap with his hands cupped loosely around the edges. Once she fully reaches his side, she can see pictures of a young Makarov in a dark suit standing next to Zlata wearing a long white wedding dress in the album. They both have wide, brimming smiles across their faces with eyes shining with hope and love.

"Laxus?" Lucy whispers as she leans down so she is eye level with the man. "Are you alright?"

Laxus doesn't answer her as he continues to stare down at the pictures in his lap.

Lucy frowns in concern as she kneels down beside the slayer. Her eyes flick over the other wedding pictures before she looks back at Laxus.

"They look happy," she offers gently and with an uncertain, forced smile.

If it wasn't for the small grunt, she would have thought that Laxus couldn't hear her at all. Lucy allows a few long, worrisome minutes to pass before she can't take it anymore.

"You know," she says slowly in caution, "you can talk to me. I won't judge you or anyt-"

"I blamed him," Laxus interjects firmly and gruffly, his voice void of emotion.

Lucy flinches in surprise at his sudden voice but leans forward with her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Who?"

"Gramps," he answers. "I blamed him being heartless because he didn't care about his family."

Lucy's eyebrows rise in surprise before creasing in sympathy.

"Laxus-" she starts.

"He lost almost everyone he loved and I blamed him for being heartless," he cuts in a louder, harsher voice as his hands grip the album tightly in self-anger.

"You didn't know," she quickly tells him in denial.

"That doesn't matter," he replies with a gruff tone.

"Yes it does!" she insists desperately. "You can't be blamed for something you were ignorant about! You have to know that!"

Laxus shifts his eyes toward her for a moment before peering back down at the photo album.

Lucy's lips press tightly and eyebrows furrow together in sadness and frustration as she stares at her partner. So this is why he has been so absent. He's been doing a lot of introspection and that's what made him so hurt emotionally. She had no idea that the writings would cause such a thing. She just wanted to help him understand his families past, not make him hateful of his own past. Guilt and sympathy wrack her heart and pushes her to help the bruised man.

"You didn't know," she repeats herself but this time more calmly. "I don't think anybody but Makarov and Zlata knew. And there would not have been a way for you to know unless they told you, which Makarov would have if he wanted to. But I honestly believe that he didn't want anyone else to know about what happened."

Laxus dips his head and mumbles quietly, "You don't know that."

"You're right, I can't prove it but I have a feeling that I'm right. Remember when you told me about how he refused to speak about your grandmother? I think that he never spoke of her because losing her was too difficult. Better yet, of all of his children that were never born."

Laxus snaps his head up to look at her in shock. Realization burns in his eyes at the intrusive thought before they dim with deep regret and guilt once more.

"That just makes what I said worse," he claims. "I was so ignorant…"

"But not by your own choice," Lucy interjects firmly. "He didn't tell you because he didn't _want_ to tell you. It was just too painful for him. It didn't matter if it was you, or me, or his friends, or the guild, or anybody. He _wasn't_ going to tell _anybody_. You can't blame yourself for being ignorant when it was purposefully hidden from you. That's like feeling guilty over not knowing how to brew beer when you were always told that it just comes out of the tap. It doesn't make any sense."

Laxus frowns at her before smirking. "That's a shitty comparison."

Lucy smiles faintly up at him. "But you get my point. Please, don't feel guilty, Laxus. You were only doing what you thought was appropriate at the time. Even if it seems wrong now."

Laxus' lips turn into a scowl. A large, thick hand comes up and scratches the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I suppose so," he relents with a deep sigh.

The hand drops back down to the album as he scowls down at the pictures and Lucy continues to smile at him.

Laxus has been doing a lot of thinking over the past week. He left to go to the countryside so he could be alone. He knew that he would have to face Lucy and the house again soon but he just needed to get away so he could think straight. The only times that he returned to the house or the hotel was when he knew Lucy was gone or sleeping.

As grateful as he is to have someone like her in his life, all of those emotions were something he needed to work through on his own. He knew that she would probably be angry with him when they met again but she would understand why he left and everything will be alright afterwards. He knew he was being a complete dick by leaving her to deal with his property and possessions but he really just needed some time to think and deal with his emotions.

He thought of everything from his life, to Dad's life, to Gramp's life, to how they all connected together into one giant mess. Yet, the more he thought about it, the more times he could recall that there were small, very discrete mentions of Zlata throughout his childhood.

He can remember distinct moments when he was a kid that his Gramps would look at the barmaid in the guild with a distant, longing, painful shine in his eyes. Laxus never understood why he would sometimes do that—particularly to different barmaids—but now he realizes that the old man must have been thinking about his late wife since she was once the barmaid at Fairy Tail too.

Another time was when old man Yajima came to visit Gramps. Laxus didn't pay much attention to the conversation but he remembers when Yajima said how much Z would have loved him and would have spoiled him rotten. Laxus will never forget how absolutely heartbroken and devastated his grandpa looked at that moment. That look made him afraid of ever asking who "Z" was because he never wanted to see the old geezer like that ever again.

Other memories began to reappear while he simultaneously started to comprehend Dad's and Gramps' actions.

Thinking back to the photos that Gramps kept of Ivan, Laxus can understand some of the contradictions. Since Dad had some "birth issues", it would explain why he would go from looking like a normal guy one day to a cruel manic the next. There were some days that were "good" and Dad acted mostly normal but there were also the "bad" days that he was very obviously deranged.

After seeing the photos of Dad with his grandma, Laxus realizes that there is a pattern to Dad's craziness; the older he got, the more psychopathic he got. This would explain why there are more photos of Dad genuinely smiling when he was kid versus when he was an adult. And it would explain why Laxus never really saw his "good" side since it was probably gone by the time he was born.

Realizing that Ivan might have abused him because of some mental disorder utterly shook Laxus to his core. He honestly had no idea how he should feel about the subject and that terrified him even more.

A part of him is furious with his father for not understanding that he was clearly not in the right state of mind to raise a child. He blames his pops for not trying to get some help so that the deadbeat could do what's best for him.

But what burned Laxus the most was the pure irony of the situation. Until the dragon lacrima was shoved inside of his head, the asshole continuously berated him for having a weak body. Saying that nothing is the worse than a feeble, weak, pathetic kid like him. The _fucking_ hypocritical bastard scorned him while the bastard was _literally_ born premature with poison in his veins! He had absolutely no right to criticize him when he suffered from a far worse condition!

The other part was relieved. Relieved that Dad might not have had any true choice in what he thought to be right. Maybe Dad always had intrusive, evil thoughts in his head that appeared because of the premature birth. Maybe Ivan was always meant to be a psychopath. Maybe, his father would have hurt anyone close to him because that is just the way his mind was created.

No matter how hard he tries to deny it, there is a small, distant part of Laxus' heart that wonders if there was something he could have done differently so Dad would love him properly. What if he had tried harder? What if he was stronger? What if he compromised his values? What if he became cold and cruel like him? Laxus always wondered if that would allow Dad to love him.

But now he realizes how futile those ideas are.

Ivan is so far gone that the man wouldn't have given two shits about him regardless of how he acted. Laxus could have been the coldest, most money-graveling, sadistic, backstabbing asshole in the whole world and Ivan wouldn't even glance at him. His pop's mindset was too broken and infected for him to ever consider his own son. There was literally nothing Laxus could do. How can Laxus change his dad's mind if his dad isn't in control of his mind in the first place?

It's like telling someone how to steer when they don't have their hands on the reins.

It's utterly useless.

However, that revelation allowed Laxus to obtain some closure over his childhood. Laxus finally had a reason for why Dad acted the way that he did. Even if it's not tangible, just having something that he can blame somehow makes it easier for him to cope with his past. In a way, the truth set him free.

Some of Laxus' hatred toward his deadbeat dad disintegrated and turned to pity. Pity for how he was born, pity for how he might have had no true control over his thoughts and desires, pity for the life that he was handed, and pity for never understanding that he needed help.

Yet, Laxus also understands that, that does not make Dad's actions excusable. His dad abused him, regardless of a mental disorder or not. For that, it will take some time to forgive him but he can let almost everything else go now.

During his time alone, Laxus realized that Gramps kept Dad's psychological disorder hidden insanely well. He honestly had no idea that there was some underlying problem within his family. However, this isn't all that surprising since the old man made him keep his dragon slaying abilities a secret for twelve years. The old geezer had a real knack for keeping secrets.

Although he always knew that something happened between the old geezer and his old man, he never imagined in his wildest nightmare that it would be something like a premature birth to stop the poison from spreading within Dad's premature body.

Sympathy and agony filled his heart as he tried to imagine himself in Gramp's shoes while trying to raise Dad by himself. They didn't get along at all from the beginning and that confliction was only made worse over time. Although, he has to give it to Gramps, the old man didn't give up on Dad for over forty years. He's not sure he could have lasted that long, to be honest.

That alone showed how much Gramps loved his only son.

This in turn, just makes Laxus' shitty, bratty, teenage attitude that much worse. At the time, Laxus thought he knew everything about his family and had a right to judge them but now he understands how wholly wrong that notion was.

A deep sense of regret, embarrassment, and sadness struck Laxus' heart as he wished that he could repeal those words. Knowing such a difficult part of his family's past makes Laxus' feeling of guilt and shame more prominent. Even after everything his gramps went through, he had to go and make it harder for the old man.

Gramps suffered through so much heartache and pain throughout his marriage. He had to watch the love of his life suffer on a daily basis. He was afraid for her when he learned that she was harming herself. He had to leave his family so he could provide for them when he knew that he shouldn't. He lost his children…

Makarov and Zlata lost a grand total of six babies and almost lost the one that they were allowed to keep…that's beyond cruel. Cruel is a fluffy word for it. They devoted so much of their time and hope for the chance that the next attempt would be a success…only to have that one fail too. The saddest part is that their best attempt ended with their child being poisoned and he wasn't even born yet. Then they had marital problems, attempted suicides, and mental issues on top of that.

Fate had been nothing but a fucking bitch to them. Yet they continued on, they tried to do what was right.

They lost so much…they endured so much pain…they were subjected to so many challenges…

And Laxus never knew anything about any of it. And unbeknownst to him, insulted those memories by saying that Gramps didn't care about his family when he fought so hard and suffered to preserve it.

Laxus wishes that he could also apologize to his grandfather for that act. Laxus wishes that he could apologize for so many things. He wishes he could take back his is snarky attitude, Dad's cruelness, and their general arguments with one another

Yet…through all of this turmoil…Laxus has never felt closer to his grandfather. He feels like he is seeing the normal man that he truly was and not some godlike figure on a pedestal. He was just a man with a family. Makarov strived to do the best he could for his family with what he had available. Laxus can honestly say that he is quite proud of Makarov for that aspect.

There are a few lingering questions about his grandpa and grandma that still remain but Laxus is satisfied with everything he has learned.

"They really look happy, huh?" Laxus says in a hushed voice as he stares down at the wedding picture.

Lucy's smile turn sad but doesn't fall as she quietly replies, "Yeah, they really do."

Silence fills the space between them as they look at the photo with soft eyes.

"Hey, I have a great idea," she states in a stronger voice after a few minutes. "Let's give Makarov a funeral."

Laxus' eyebrows furrow as he turns his head to blink at his partner. "What?"

Lucy gives him a small smile and says, "You still have the rights to the grave plot, right? Let's give Makarov a funeral. We can get a casket and put some old photos and mementos in it instead of his body. This way, he'll be close to your grandmother again."

Laxus stares at Lucy completely dumbfounded.

"That's…" he trails off as emotion clogs his throat. He swallows down the lump in his throat and takes a steadying breath.

"I would like that," he replies gently as he looks into his partner's face.

The breath stills in her throat at the canvas of emotion painted in Laxus' eyes. Sincerity, sadness, appreciation, heartache, and relief shine in his eyes. The emotions make him appear so vulnerable and caring that she can't help but become awestruck by the piece of his soul that she is bearing witness to.

 _Gods, he has beautiful eyes…_ she thinks to herself as her heart begins to flutter wildly.

"O-okay," she stutters as she turns her face away and a light blush crosses her cheeks.

Laxus blinks at her in confusion at why she is acting so weirdly.

"When?" he asks to draw her attention back to him.

"U-um, how about after we're done here? There is still more stuff to be sorted," she says hastily.

"Yeah, let's finish with everything here first," Laxus agrees.

Lucy's head snaps around as her face morphs into a sneer. Without much conscious thought, she swings her fist around to connect to the back of Laxus' head with a smack.

"And don't leave me alone to clean up your mess this time!" she yells at him in exaggerated anger.

Laxus rubs the back of his head as a smirk spreads over his lips.

 _Yeah, I deserved that._

* * *

Two and a half weeks later, Lucy is taking a bath in her apartment. In a little over an hour, Makarov's funeral will begin. Laxus wanted to keep it private so he asked her not to tell anyone at the guild about it. Lucy happily obliged his request.

The two blondes spent one and a half more weeks in the Ivanov house unpacking boxes, sorting everything, taking inventory of everything that needs to be replaced, contacting the correct repairmen, and instructed them on what all needs to be (which took a lot longer than expected).

Laxus was generally quiet and kept to himself. He never left Lucy again but she knew that he still had a lot on his mind and heart. She asked him several times if he wanted to talk but he always declined. Worry set in but she pushed it aside because she had faith that he knew what he was doing.

Also during that time, Lucy and Laxus selected the some of the items that will placed in Makarov's grave: pictures of his life with Zlata, pictures of him with Ivan when he was a baby, and one of Zlata's ceramic dolls (much to Laxus' enjoyment). They will pick out the rest from the stuff that is back in Magnolia.

Laxus left the construction manager in charge while he and Lucy returned to Magnolia to prepare for the funeral. They gathered everything of keepsake and took it to the train station for transportation. Unfortunately and painfully for Laxus, that meant taking the three day train across the country.

Once they arrived, Lucy and Laxus had to haul everything that Laxus brought back to the storage container. With Taurus' help, they were finished by the end of the day. They picked out pleasant photos of Makarov at the guild, Makarov with Ivan when he was older, him holding Laxus as a newborn, and lots of other photos of him and Laxus, along with one of his Wizard Saint cloaks, a picture of the Fairy Tail guild members, and his favorite smoking pipe.

Laxus went out and bought a simple but elegant casket during the waiting period. The rest of the week has been tense as they waited for the day to arrive.

Lucy pulls on her black dress and a light jacket before grabbing some studded earrings. After her ensemble is finished she retreats to the bathroom for a final look over. But as she looks into the mirror, she can't help but freeze in wonder.

The last time she wore this dress she was wearing a cast and felt like the whole world had collapsed. She felt so helpless and lost back then and while she remembers the pain vividly, it feels like that was an eternity ago. Yet, it has only been nine months. Nine months ago, she lost most of her family but started a new stage of her life. So much has happened that she failed to realize how quickly the time has passed and how many things have changed. Like her.

The woman looking back at her is different than before. Lucy expected to see the girl from nine months staring back at her but she sees a more refined version of that girl. Now there is no cast, her hair has grown out substantially to where it reaches the middle of her back, her breasts and hips have enlarged enough to make her hourglass figure more noticeable, the lines of her face have sharpened more so she doesn't look as baby-faced anymore, and she has grown a couple of inches in height.

She is growing up without realizing it. In the back of her mind, she knows that she still has a ways to go but the difference is still wondrous and strange to her. A part of her is upset that her departed friends cannot grow alongside her but she is okay with the idea that she will grow alongside her new friends.

With a deep breath and a light slap to the cheeks, Lucy focuses on the present. Right now, she needs to hurry up or she will miss Makarov's funeral. Her new life is demanding her attention. She makes sure that everything is orderly before leaving the bathroom.

As Lucy walks to the south side of town she can't help but breathe in the crisp cool air of autumn. It's a bright, day in September. Few clouds pass over head while a breeze whistles through the trees in preparation for the oncoming winter.

At five till noon, Lucy finds a dressed up Laxus in front of Magnolia Cemetery. He is wearing a black suit with a black tie and a pressed white shirt. The entrance to the graveyard is a large, black, metal gate with matching fencing around the area. Thick flowering trees line the outside of the gate and small, sparse paths wind through the grounds where headstones, statues, and mortuaries lie undisturbed. Littered distantly across the grounds are large shaded trees.

Laxus turns around at the sound of footsteps to discover the celestial mage. She gives him a small, comforting smile as he gives her a small frown but stares at her with soft eyes. A sense of déjà vu overcomes him as he gazes down at her.

The last time he saw her like this was back when they honored everyone at the memorial. Her leg was busted up and was in the pitiful state of using crutches. Back then, she was so sad and hurt. But now, here she is smiling up at him and carrying an air of hope.

So much has changed.

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that she would be standing by his side months later as one of his closest friends. Never did he imagine that he would rejoin the guild. Never did he imagine he would let go of the emotional scars of his past. Never did he imagine that he would learn about his family. Never did he imagine that so much would change in so little of a time.

Yes…so much has changed. So much good has happened. It's hard to believe that any of it is real sometimes. Yet, here they are.

"You ready?" he asks, his voice rough from repressed emotion.

Lucy nods quietly.

They walk through the cemetery side by side. On the other side of the grounds, lie two gravestones under the largest tree in the graveyard. One has dug up dirt beside it while the other sits peacefully beside its partner. The casket Laxus picked out is placed on top of a stand so it floats above the open grave.

Lucy sees four people standing off the side of the plot. Surprise hits her when she realizes that it's most of the members of Makarov's old team: Porlyusica, Yajima, Master Bob, and Master Goldmine. They are all wearing black and chatting with one another.

"What are they doing here?" she leans over and whispers to the male by her side.

"I invited them," he answers just as quietly. "They were Gramps' friends and he would have wanted them to know about his funeral."

Lucy's eyebrows rise in slight surprise before her face falls into a gentle, admiring smile. "That's really sweet of you, Laxus."

He looks pointedly away just when the group spots them. The blonde duo stops a couple of feet away from the elders.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up," Goldmine teases playfully with a grin as he looks between the blondes.

"Oh, give them a break, dear," Bob coos as he squeezes his cheeks. "They've been super busy the past few weeks. They're probably exhausted from all of that traveling."

"Not to mention all of the cleaning that they must have been doing," Yajima adds.

Porlyusica scoffs.

"The old fool should have thrown everything away," she grumbles out loudly.

"Agreed," Goldmine nods.

Lucy can't help but smile at the older generation.

"Thank you all for coming," she tells them.

"Oh dearie, we wouldn't miss it for the world," Bob states with a shake of his head.

"This just seemed like the right thing to do," Laxus explains with a carefully balanced tone.

"You did the right thing. Makie would have wanted this. He always said that he wished to be reunited with Z after he passed away," Yajima says as he looks at the ground with a frown. "We are sorry that you had to find out about your grandmother this way."

The other elders nod and look at Laxus in sympathy.

Laxus looks away from their stares and scowls. Lucy smiles comfortingly up at him.

"Excuse me?" a soft, gentle male voice calls out to them.

The group turns to see the minister from Kardia Cathedral.

"May we begin?" he asks as he holds out his hand toward the grave.

The group move beside the casket as the minister takes his place on the other side of the burial site. Lucy stands between Laxus and Yajima as the service proceeds.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Makarov Dreyar, a dear friend, a brave wizard, and a loving father," the minister starts.

More words are shared as the minister continues with the ceremony. Lucy wipes away a few stray tears when Makarov's love of his children is mentioned. Laxus' shoulders are tense and still during the entirety of the service. Makarov's old group is silent and sorrowful but happy that the Makarov is finally getting the funeral he desired.

Once the minister allows for each person to speak separately about their memories, Bob goes first. He tells of how he was amazed by Makarov's skill and leadership from the very moment he became a member of Fairy Tail all those years ago. After he is done speaking, Bob throws some roses and a couple of old pictures of Makarov when they were younger into the empty casket.

Goldmine is next and he speaks of how he and Makarov would get into the craziest of drinking games and get into so much trouble together. He follows Bob's example and tosses in a red rose and a beer stein into the casket. Porlyusica declines her turn but stated that she is grateful to the old fool for everything that he did for her. Yajima speaks of how he has known Makarov since they were teenagers and that he couldn't have asked for a better friend. The old man tosses in a magical talisman, a red rose, and a picture of Makarov and Yajima when they were tennagers.

Lucy spoke next and told everyone how Makarov gave her a home and allowed her to find her true family. The elders nod as each returned her sympathies while Laxus remains perfectly still. She deposits the pictures, cloak, pipe, and porcelain doll gently into the grave along with a rose that Bob gave her.

When it is Laxus' chance, he refuses without a word. The others understand how difficult this must be for the man so they allow him to remain silent.

The minister closes the ceremony with a farewell to the dearly departed.

Yajima, Porlyusica, Goldmine, and Bob each say a few last words of thanks. They leave the cemetery with frowns of sorrow but hearts of love for their beloved friend.

Lucy and Laxus remains by the grave's side.

"Do you want to say anything?" Lucy asks softly as she glances up at the tall blonde man before returning her gaze to the partly filled casket.

Laxus remains silent as his chest begins to ache.

"Yeah," he barely chokes out. "Alone?"

Lucy smiles in understanding and gently nods her head.

"I'll wait by the gate," she tells him as she lays a hand softly on his forearm as a sign of assurance and comfort.

Laxus watches her walk through the cemetery toward the black gate. A breeze passes through the grounds and he returns his gaze to the headstone.

"Hey old man," he starts shakily as he tries to keep his voice level. "It's been a while."

"I bet you're wondering where my ass has been all of these months. Well, it's a long story but I know everything now. I know about Grandma and Dad. It's been hard facing everything but I understand that it's for the best."

Laxus takes a deep, shaky breath as he tries not to cry.

"I'm sorry about how I acted when you were alive. You have no idea how much I want to take it back. I thought you were just a heartless bastard that didn't love his family but now I realize how hard it must have been for you to do what you did. I wish you would have told me though. It would have made a lot more sense if you would have just explained the situation to me. I like to think that I would have understood, even back when I was a shitty brat."

A small breeze passes over the headstone to make the overhead leaves tremble. Some fall from their branches to quietly float down to the ground.

"You know, after learning what happened to my dad, I don't feel like I can hate him as much anymore. For anything he did to me. Usually I would get angry when I remember how Dad treated me but not anymore. Since I know what made him that way, I don't feel like I have to waste my time and energy trying to figure out why he mistreated me. For some stupid reason that helps. I just don't care anymore. I can't tell you how much better I feel. It's like a giant burden that I didn't know I was carrying has been lifted and I'm finally able to live my life how I see fit."

Makarov's grave sits idly in silence as if agreeing with him.

"I also wanted to thank you for everything you ever did for me. I know I wasn't the easiest person to deal with back in the day but now I understand where I went wrong and why. It took me a little while but I finally got there. And it seems so stupid that I ever let myself get caught up in my Dad's mess. So I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being pig-headed."

Laxus gazes down sorrowfully at the casket where numerous pictures and the trinkets lie. Time slows down for the blonde man as a deeply hidden but strong emotion bubbles within his heart.

"I'm back in the guild again. Lucy made a case for me and Macao agreed. Happened eight months ago. I know you're probably rolling in your grave right now in disappointment but everything's fine. Better than fine, actually. That's why it feels so wrong."

A stray tear runs down his cheek.

"It doesn't feel right…never has…" Laxus says in a hushed voice without looking away from his grandpa's headstone.

Laxus clenches his eyes shut as his tears spill over from the guilt and sadness in his soul. His heart is heavy with shame and being at his grandfather's funeral seems to make his heart crack further under the weight from the disgrace of his past actions.

"I don't deserve it." Laxus continues unsteadily, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't deserve to be back with everyone…not after everything I did. A part of me feels guilty for taking the opportunity. They welcomed me back with open arms and acted like I didn't force them to fight one another. Fuck, Lucy was the one who vouched for me the most and I almost killed her in front of everyone. She should hate me but she doesn't. Hell, she's probably my closest friend now. Don't tell the Thunder Legion; they'll probably come back to the grave to haunt her or something," he jokes with a sad chuckle.

"But I'm selfish. I…I did want to come back. I really did. I wanted to be a part of my family again, no matter how guilty it makes me feel. I couldn't stay away. I came back home and ran away from my feelings. Does that make me a coward? I feel like it does. I feel like a weak coward every time I take the easy way out. But I'm so happy. To be a part of the guild again makes me so happy that I want nothing more than to protect it, to protect my family."

Laxus takes a deep breath through his nose. The tears have stopped and his voice has gained more confidence.

"And I swear I will this time. I will protect everything I care about. Everything you cared about. I promise. I'll fight until there is no longer anything to fight for or until my last breath. Whichever one comes first. Until then, I'm going to live well and be happy; just like what you wanted me to do."

"I'll come by and visit sometime. I don't know when but I will," Laxus reassures the gravestone.

"Thanks for everything. I'll see you around," he sighs deeply with a deep breath.

Laxus turns around and walks away slowly until a thought strikes him

"Oh, by the way," Laxus stops and turns back toward the headstone. "Thanks for keeping my mom's journals. That means a lot to me."

Another breeze passes through the leaves in the branches overhead.

Laxus gives one final farewell nod to his grandfather before turning away.

A deep silence fills the air as he walks through the cemetery to mimic the heavy emotions in his heart. Small gravestones, large angelic statues, and every possible headstone pass him in mournful farewells.

As Laxus nears the large gate, he looks up to see Lucy standing on the other side. Sunlight bleeds through the overhanging tree limbs to create swaying rays of light. Bright, shining light hits Lucy's hair and exposed skin. A breeze blows Lucy's long, loose, blonde hair around so a few strands slide across her smooth lips and cheeks. Even with the black dress, she looks happy and content and so full of hope and love. Happiness and gratefulness seep into his bruised heart with every second he studies her.

He finds himself on a path between two worlds.

Darkness and death reside on one side of the black gate that resounds with old memories and painful pasts. Yet, beyond the very same gate, lies the bright future that is bathed in hope and friendship. The gate is more than a mere entrance…

It is the gateway to his new, happier life.

His eyes soften and heart melts in realization at how lost and confused he would be if it wasn't for the blonde maiden. How this entire emotional journey would have been vastly more difficult without her help and guidance. He resumes his stride as he never takes his eyes off of his partner.

 _I need to do something for her,_ he thinks to himself as his heart clenches in appreciation. _Something to thank her for…everything. She didn't have to do anything but she did everything that she could have possibly done to help me. Even when I never said I needed someone she was always right there beside me._

 _I have to make it up to her. I have to thank her._

"Everything all right?" he hears her call out to him in the distance of his mind.

Sweeping his thoughts aside, Laxus focuses on the female as he comes to a stop beside her.

"Yeah, we're good," he nods with a small, gracious smile.

"Good," she says warmly and with a smile of her own. "You hungry?"

"Starving."

"Yajima said to stop by the restaurant. Said that he would give us a good deal."

Laxus grunts with a mask of indifference but is secretly happy and relieved that everything is finally over.

Lucy turns and walks down the street away from the cemetery. Laxus watches her backside before glancing over his shoulder at the place where his grandparent's headstones lie peacefully under the big tree. With a brief upturning of his lips, he holds up his finger in the Fairy Tail manner for his departed grandfather as he follows after the celestial mage.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello everyone. I know that I fell off the map for the past several months and I'm sorry about that. I have been incredibly busy with preparing for my final year of engineering school by taking extra classes during the summer so I have had practically no time to write and still currently do not.**

 **On that note, I want to let it be known that this story will be finished at some point. I got everything planned out (for the most part) but it just needs to be written. Please be patient with me.**

 **This chapter is shorter than my others and I will probably join it with another one in the future or add onto it but I wanted to post something rather than nothing. I hope it will suffice for now.**

 **Thanks so much for reading and remember to drop me a review.**

 **Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and all corresponding characters. I only own the extra characters and plot.**

A few days after the funeral, the blonde duo are sitting, or lying down in Laxus' case, on a train heading to Blackstone Beach. There they will find the last piece of land Makarov passed down to Laxus. They do not hold out much hope that this house contains anything important since they already went through the old man's entire life in the other houses.

Lucy has voiced that she needs to take a job once she gets back to Magnolia since her rent will be due eventually and she wants to keep a relatively large savings account. Laxus told her that he needs to check on the renovations in Razdol'noye so she'll have to go alone. What he didn't tell her is that he is also planning a surprise for her for when he returns to Magnolia. Lucy wasn't exactly thrilled about the news but it couldn't be helped. They each had their own responsibilities to handle, after all.

Eventually, the two disembark from the train and head toward the beach. Blackstone Beach is a quaint little town that has cute antique buildings and shops. It is positioned right on the edge of the ocean on the southwest side of Fiore. Most of the people are older so it provides a retirement-like community feel for people who want nothing more than to live peacefully next to the ocean till the end of their days.

Laxus can see the allure it held for Gramps.

Their directions tell them that Makarov owns a plot of land somewhere on the beach on the south side of the small town. They walked along the cobblestone streets until the stones shifted to pebbles. Not far from town, Laxus and Lucy stop at a small field of green grass bordering a thick beach of sand before it drifts into the open sea.

"The map says this is it," Lucy says as she looks around. She was expecting a house or something but there is nothing is sight. There are houses in both directions far into the distance but she knows that neither are what they are looking for.

"Gramps must have been planning to build a house when he retired," Laxus sighs as he walks out onto the sand.

"It's a shame," Lucy replies sadly as she joins him. "This is a beautiful place."

They stop a few feet from where the waves of water roll steadily onto the sand. Seagulls caw from overhead and a light breeze brushes past them.

"I could see why he would have wanted to live here," Lucy says gently as she smiles softly up at her partner.

"Yeah," he sighs quietly. "Me too."

"You still could, you know?" she tells him matter-of-factly as she clasps her hand behind her back. "I mean…you could build a little house and come here whenever you need to get away."

Laxus scoffs through his nose.

"Yeah, I'll think about it."

A serene silence cascades over them as Lucy and Laxus stare out into the ocean; relief settling into the chests at finally finishing all the business that Makarov had left behind.

* * *

Two resounding knocks beat on Lucy's door two weeks later. Lucy looks up from her large shoulder bag on her bed with a curious hum. The idea of Biska stopping in briefly crosses her mind before she dismisses the notion.

Biska had demanded yesterday that she, Laki, and Kinana join her in her room at Fairy Hills that evening for some long overdue "girl time" and is currently trying to prepare her nightly amenities.

The green-haired mage left absolutely room for argument. Lucy could have sworn that there also seemed to be a hidden desperation shadowing Biska's tone but she didn't say anything. The whole encounter left Lucy slightly worried and concerned over what exactly the "girl-talk" that evening will be about.

With a sigh, she walks across the room and opens the door to be greeted by the sight of a crossed arm Laxus.

"Hey, stranger," she greets him with a large smile.

She hasn't seen the hulking man since they returned to Magnolia two weeks ago. Just like she promised, she went on a weeklong job after they arrived and he left to tend to the renovations across Fiore. A strange sense of loneliness filled her from the absence of the man during that time but is now replaced by happiness at seeing him alive and well.

He merely grunts hello and passes her.

"How's the house?" she asks as she closes the door.

"Fine. Everything's almost done. Got a few details to finish but other than that, it's practically finished," he answers as he stands awkwardly in the center of her apartment.

"That's awesome," she cheers with a grin. "Does it look good?"

He nods as he keeps his eyes off of her.

"Great," she says slowly suspiciously as she tilts her head in an attempt to look at his face. "I can't wait to see it. Did you bring the journals back?"

"Yeah, they're back at my house along with my mom's."

"That's right! We can start reading them tomorrow if you like! I have to hang out with the girls tonight so I'm busy but I'm free tomorrow night. I can cook and we'll have dinner and then we can start on the first book afterwards! Of course, we'll have to organize everything first but that shouldn't take too long! We can try to read some of a journal each night so it'll only take a couple of months to go through everything. It'll be fun!" Lucy babbles excitedly at being reminded about his mother's journals.

After Lucy read Hope's letter, the blonde woman begged the dragon slayer to let her read his mother's journals. Laxus was initially reluctant about the idea of invading his mom's private writings but was swayed by Lucy's persistence and promise that she will only read them aloud when they are together. The readings had to be put on hold due to the trip to Razdol'noye.

Laxus makes a complicated face before sighing and scratching his head.

"Sure," he sighs.

Lucy cocks an eyebrows and frowns at his weird attitude.

"Okay, what's up?" she questions as she positions one hand on her hip and gives him an expectant look.

Laxus glances at the woman before lowering his eyes once more. He takes a deep breath through his nose before reaching into his coat pocket.

"…Here," he states neutrally but somewhat timidly as he holds out a plain, white envelope. Green eyes glance up at the woman awkwardly.

Lucy raises a skeptical eyebrow as she hesitantly takes it. The paper is almost flat but she can feel something long and slender sitting at the bottom.

"What is it?" she asks as she turns it over in her hand.

"Just open it," he grunts, his eyes shifting between her and the carpet continuously in an almost anxious way.

Lucy frowns up at him for how strangely he's acting. Pushing one finger inside the crease and tearing along the top seam, she pulls out two tickets. She hums in surprise but freezes with wide eyes when she sees the title along the top of the slips of paper.

"Laxus?" she asks in a level voice that is shadowed with confusion after a minute. "What is this?"

Laxus sighs through his nose as he focuses on her once more.

"They're tickets to a special resort," he tells her, worry slipping into his speech. Does she not like them?

"Oh, I know," she pauses to lick her lips. "I mean, why are you giving me these?"

"Because they're meant for you."

Lucy opens her mouth to say something but closes it and looks down at the tickets in thought. She looks up again with an open mouth but quickly returns to her contemplative stance from moments before. She repeats this process a few more times, still unable to comprehend the situation.

"I have tickets to Eden's Garden?" she asks in confounded disbelief as she cocks her hip and gives him an exaggerated confused look.

Laxus' lips turn downward in growing annoyance and irritation at the woman's attitude as he slowly replies, "Yeah."

"Like THE Eden's Garden?" she presses. "Like the resort that is known for having the best spa in Ishgar? The one that has five-star restaurants and is up in the mountains with amazing scenery? The one that would _literally_ cost me a year's worth of rent for me just to sleep in the kitchen for one night? _That_ Eden's Garden?"

Laxus merely stares at his partner with a deep, unamused scowl.

Lucy blinks up at him before glancing down at the tickets…then back up…then back down…and then…

"OH MY GOD, REALLY!?" she screams as she jumps up and down and waves her hands around wildly in extreme excitement.

Laxus is taken aback by the reaction but recoils into a smile as she continues to howls over the tickets. Babbles and gestures on how she has always dreamed of attending the resort, how she is too poor, and how wonderful it will be reaches his ears and fills his chest with satisfaction and relief.

 _I'm glad she likes them._

"They're all-inclusive too," he tacks on nonchalantly as she begins to ramble off about how beautiful the scenery will be.

Lucy immediately stops and cranks her head around to look at the man wide-eyed.

"Huh?"

"You can do anything you want there. Just tell them what you want and they'll give it to you," he explains smugly with a cocky smirk.

She loudly gasps and she claps a hand to her shocked heart. Thoughts of never-ending massages, soothing spa baths, fresh manicures and pedicures, unbelievable food, and rejuvenating facials bloom within her mind and overwhelm her senses. Her body begins to shake and her breathing quickens dramatically.

Laxus' face falls in surprise as she staggers over to her bed and plops down on the pink comforter. She fans herself with her hand as she attempts to take deep calming breaths, making the man chuckle at her reaction.

"La-Laxus…" she breathes as her heart begins to regain its normal balance. "H-how did you get these?"

He scoffs at her and gives her a bored look.

"I bought them. Is it just too early in the morning or are you always this slow?"

Lucy gasps again as she completely ignores the sarcastic insult.

"Y-you bought them? For me? Why?" she demands with wide curious eyes.

Laxus drops his eyes as he rubs the back of his head bashfully.

"It's a thank you gift," he mummers. "For helping me with the houses."

The blush recedes as she blinks at the man in surprise.

"You didn't have to do that. I-I…I wanted to help you. I never expected anything."

"That's why I did it," he forces his embarrassed self to explain. "You didn't have to do anything but you did and I…I wanted to thank you."

Lucy lets the words sink in to her brain. Her expression melts into a kind smile and a light blush as she shifts her eyes to the side shyly.

"That…that's very sweet of you," she replies faintly.

Laxus slightly groans in the back of his throat as he chances a glimpse at his partner but quickly looks away when he notices Lucy's beauty. The sunlight is directly behind her so her hair shines a radiant golden hue. The apples of her cheeks have a slight pink dusting layered upon them and her soft lips are delicately curved upwards.

"I hope it's okay," he begins again as he forces himself to focus back on her without thinking about her beauty. "I know you like spas and everything so I figured you would like to go to a place like that. If you don't like it then I can get you something else."

Lucy turns toward him in shock to see him standing uncomfortably in the center of her apartment. How the normally cocky dragon slayer can also be such an awkward human being can be quite entertaining at times to the blonde woman.

"Is that why you were acting weird earlier? You were worried that I wouldn't like your gift?" Lucy covers her mouth with her fingertips to partially hide her mischievous grin, though her eyes shined with the playful emotion.

Laxus "hmphs" at her as he shifts his eyes away.

Smugness gives way to humor as the smirk turns to giggles. Lucy shakes her head, rises from her bed, walks over to Laxus, and wraps her arms around his waist. Laxus is startled by the sudden action but relaxes into a small smile as he looks down at the blonde head lying on his chest. His thick arms awkwardly encircle her petite frame to return the kind gesture.

"Thank you, Laxus," Lucy says softly and sincerely as she tightens her grip on him by a hair's breath. "I absolutely love your gift. I couldn't ask for anything better."

A small blush erupts on Laxus' cheeks at the sweet words. He drops his head so his lips are resting against the top of her head. The overwhelming scent of lilies, strawberries, and vanilla crowd his nose and causes his eyes to droop in pleasure.

"You deserve it," he whispers through her hair. "Thanks for sticking by me. I couldn't have done it without you."

"It wasn't a problem. I did it because I wanted to help you," her voice muffled by his shirt. "By the way, who's the other ticket for?"

Laxus squeezes her tighter in response and shrugs his shoulders. "So you can bring somebody with you," he sighs into her hair. "You can take anyone you want. Seriously, why are you so slow today?"

Lucy lifts her face and gives him a pointed look. "I am not slow you jerk! I'm just surprised!"

"Whatever."

Lucy huffs before burying her head back into his chest while Laxus smirks and resumes smelling her scented hair.

Three abrupt knocks on the front door breaks the atmosphere. Laxus lifts his head and scowls while Lucy rolls her head toward the door and hums in curiosity. She sends the man a small friendly smile as unwraps her arms from his waist and leaves him standing in her living room to answer her door.

Lucy opens the door with a smile but feels it fall immediately when her eyes land on the short, stocky woman in front of her.

"Miss Landlady!" Lucy flinches as a nervous sweat breaks out on her forehead. The only times when the old woman ever comes to see her is because of some kind bad news or because she committed some heinous act; such as using too much heat or leaving the front door unlocked or god forbid, trying to heat up the water for a bath but accidently boiling the entire building's water instead and then trying to rapidly cool it in order to fix the problem but then accidently freezing all of the water instead and consequently bursting all of the pipes…

Okay, so that last one was Natsu and Gray a long time ago but she still got blamed for it, nevertheless.

"Misses Heartfilia," the woman says sternly as she looks up with a deep set scowl.

"Y-yes?"

"I just wanted to remind you that this is the last month that your rent is paid for."

Lucy is about to apologize and beg for the woman not to kick her out but stops with a baffled expression.

"Oh," she mumbles in surprise. "O-okay. Thanks."

"Humph, I expect you to have your rent on time in future! Do not forget or you won't have a home!" she waggles her pudgy finger at Lucy.

"Y-yes, ma'am. I won't forget."

"Good," she nods before spinning around and marching down the stairs. "Have a good rest of your day Miss Heartfilia."

"Same to you," Lucy replies timidly before slowly shutting the door.

A great sigh of relief and exasperation escapes her as she drags her feet back toward her bed to continue packing.

"What was that about?" Laxus asks from his place in her armchair (also known as his favorite chair while he's in her apartment.)

"Oh, nothing," she sighs again as she packs away some nail polish in her bag. "Just a reminder that I'll be poor again soon."

"Rent?"

"Rent. This month is covered but I'll have to start going out on jobs again soon."

Laxus scoffs as he crosses his arms and legs.

"Still want to go to the Garden?" he asks.

"Of course!" Lucy answers like it's obvious as she looks over her shoulder with a smile. "We can go later this week."

Laxus slightly flinches in surprise as his eyebrows rise.

"We?" he leads.

"Yeah," Lucy huffs as she stuffs in a couple of magazines.

"You're taking me with you?" he continues as he watches her struggle to stuff one more shirt in her already bulging bag.

"Well, yeah. Of all the people I know, I think you deserve to relax the most," she grunts between every couple of words as she attempts to hold the bag together long enough for it to zip. "After all, you're the one who had to go through everything too," she gasps as the zipper finally closes up.

"Besides," she turns around and faces him with a sweet smile, "you paid for them, you should get to enjoy the resort too."

"I didn't buy them for me though," he explains as his face returns to its natural scowl.

"And you said I can take anyone I want," Lucy counters. "So I pick you."

Their eyes meet in a half-hearted stare contest before a small smirk grows on Laxus' face and he looks away.

"Alright, have it your way."

Yeah, he has to admit, a full body massage sounds amazing right about now.

Lucy grins triumphantly and looks at him smartly.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist. You like being pampered as much as I do."

Laxus rolls his eyes back across the room and cocks an eyebrow at the woman.

"You don't know me," he challenges lazily.

"I know you better than anyone else," she replies confidently.

Laxus grunts and turns away but can't resist the small smile that forms on his lips.

"Yeah, I know," he admits as his heart fills with some sort of happiness that he can't name.

Lucy smiles gently before looking away with a faint blush.

It amazes Lucy sometimes. How Laxus can be so awkwardly crude one minute but then make her insides melt by doing something so sweet and caring the next. It just astounds her sometimes.

"You need another bag," he announces as he rises from the chair to leave.

Lucy startles before she looks between him and her overstuffed bag in disbelief.

"I do not!" she argues defensively as she follows him. "It zipped up just fine!"

"Yeah, but you still need another bag."

"I don't need your opinion on how to pack my luggage, thank you!"

"I hope it breaks just so you have to get a new one," he teases over his shoulder with a cocky smirk as he opens the door.

"Well I hope that your face-"

A large, obnoxious ripping noise is heard from behind the pair. Lucy's face falls into an embarrassed, angry gape while Laxus bursts out laughing when they see half a huge rip down one side of the bag.

"GET OUT, JERK!" she screams as she tries to push him through the door.

Laxus allows himself to be pushed, all the while laughing at her misfortune. Lucy slams the door behind him but can still hear his uproarious laughter through the wood. She hears Laxus' continuous amusement at her expense until he leaves her apartment and flashes away.

She huffs like the lady that she is before sighing at the cruelty of the world and her partner.

On the other hand, the man can be a giant teddy bear one minute and a jerk the next.

Yet, Lucy has discovered, it doesn't matter which way he acts because she is happiest when she is with the dragon slayer.

* * *

A wave of nostalgia washes over Lucy when she arrives to the Fairy Hills. She can still remember when she picked the job notice for finding something that was lost in the dormitories. It turned out that the ghost of the previous landlady posted it and made her find a box full of jewels while wearing a cat/hooker outfit.

A small, sad smile graces her face as she remembers the adventure that she had that day…back when everyone was alive…

"Lucy!"

Lucy is startled from her reverie to find Biska excitedly waving at her from the top floor. She smiles and waves up at the gun mage. Biska retreats back inside after telling her to hurry up. An anxious sensation settles into Lucy's stomach but all she can do is sigh.

No one meets Lucy on the way up but she expects as much since they are probably already in Biska's room. Going from her one time experience in the building (and subsequently going the wrong way at first), she eventually finds Biska's door.

"Lucy! 'Bout time! Did ya get lost?" Biska asks when she swings the door open.

"Just a little," Lucy mumbles as she walks inside.

Laki and Kinana are just as Lucy suspected and already sitting on a small couch against the window chatting. Two more chairs are situated in front of them with a small table that is decorated with snacks and drinks.

As she approaches, Lucy smiles kindly at Kinana and Laki while they smile or wink at her.

"Hello Lucy. You look wonderful," Kinana greets with her typical sweet smile.

"Yeah, you look like I did after I finished carving out my wood guillotine," Laki adds with a satisfied nod.

Kinana, Biska, and Lucy all sweatdrop at the wood-make mage.

"Thanks, I guess?" Lucy hesitantly states as she takes a seat in one of the chair. She places her (new) bag off to side. "You guys look great too. Especially you, Kinana. Have you lost weight?"

Kinana covers her face with her hands as she tries to hide her reddening cheeks.

"Yeah, I've been on a diet for the last month. I've already lost fifteen pounds," she says shyly but proudly.

"That's terrific!" Lucy exclaims joyfully before sighing wistfully. "I wish I could drop pounds as fast as you can."

"It's mainly just water weight," Kinana tries to downplay her accomplishment.

"Are you kiddin'? You lost more than water weight." Biska adds as she takes a sip of her wine.

"Thank you everyone," Kinana blushes madly at the compliments.

"On the other hand, Laki looks like you've gained some weight. Particularly in the chest area," Biska continues.

"I have!" Laki's eyes sparkle in joy as she wraps her hands around her breasts. "And I can say the same to you too, Biska! I bet Alzack is especially grateful!"

Biska lightly chuckles and nods her head.

"You have no idea."

Lucy and Kinana blushes while Laki stifles her laughter with her hand.

"Do we really have to talk about boobs?" Lucy mummers as she sweatdrops. Somehow their conversations always arrive to that particular topic.

The others deadpan at the blonde woman.

"What are you complaining about? You have the biggest pair out of all of us!" Laki points to Lucy's chest.

"Yeah. In fact, I think they're even bigger than the last time we say ya," Biska agrees.

Lucy quickly tries to hide her chest from the giggling onlookers.

"W-well…" she stops as she blushes in embarrassment.

"Aw come on, Lucy we're just teasing," Biska states good naturedly. "Besides, men love big breasts. It's their greatest weakness."

The four ladies laugh at Biska's comment. If they have to go by the men at the guild, boobs can bring the world to its knees.

They continue to chat for the next hour about light topics. Laughter and smiles are widespread and practically never fade. Food and drinks are distributed around so no one is left unsated.

All of the sudden, Lucy realizes that she has missed the elephant in the room…

…or the lack there of.

"Hey, Biska," she asks the hostess as she takes a sip of her teacup, "didn't you used to have a lot of animals in here?"

A bright red blush spreads across the hostess' face as her hand's fumble with her tea cup.

"Well," she starts bashfully, "Alzack and I thought that they needed more space so we kinda…you know…"

The other three glance at one another in confusion before turning back on the green-haired mage.

"Sorry Biska, we don't know," Kinana states apologetically as she gathers some meat and cheese on a cracker.

Biska sighs deeply before looking at her guests with barely contained grin.

"Alzack and I bought a house together."

"WHAT!?" Lucy, Kinana, and Laki yell simultaneously.

"Wow, I'm so happy for the two of you!" Lucy proclaims immediately as claps her hands.

"Congratulations!" Kinana adds with a broad smile.

"Thank you! I know, I'm so happy," Biska thanks them as she smiles ear to ear.

"I bet! And don't worry! You guys can borrow my wooden dildos any time you want if you ever want to spice things up!" Laki yells cheerfully.

Biska shrinks back in horror while Lucy and Kinana cringe in disgust. The two single women did not need that image. At all.

Kinana smoothly grabs Laki's wine glasses and slides it far away from the purple-haired woman.

"A-and…there's something else," Biska states slowly as she continues to give Laki a wary eye. "It's actually why I asked y'all to come over tonight."

The three ladies glance at one another before giving Biska their full, undivided attention.

Another bright blush erupts on Biska's cheeks as she looks down at her lap and mumbles something incoherent.

"What was that?" Lucy leans over the side of her chair expectedly.

Biska raises her head and takes a deep breath.

"I'm goin' to ask Alzack to marry me."

Three loud drawn out gasps are heard around the room before cheers of excitement fill the air. Everyone gushes over the new information and fauns over a bashful Biska.

"The main reason I wanted y'all over tonight is 'cause I want your opinion. Do y'all…do y'all think he'll accept?" she asks as she drops her eyes to her lap once more.

"What!?" Lucy gasps again as she positions herself right in front of the gun mage. "Are you kidding!? Alzack loves you more than anything else in this world! Of course, he'll say yes!"

"I agree," Kinana nods furiously as she covers her brightening face with her hands and places herself by Lucy's side.

"Yeah!" Laki nods from the other side of Lucy before her eyes go wide in excitement. "Maybe he'll even faint and crack his head open on the floor. Rich pools of crimson blood will spread over the floor to form a giant heart of love…"

Biska sweatdrops while Lucy and Kinana slowly look over in horror at the sadist as they simultaneously lean the other direction.

"Y'all aren't just sayin' that?" Biska continues in a concerned tone.

"NO!" the three respond instantly.

Biska raises her face to peer at each of her girlfriend's faces. They each hold a sense of certainty and stubbornness that only appears when no doubt exists within their minds. It brings relief to the green-haired woman and gives her a boost of confidence.

"Thanks y'all," Biska smiles before lightly laughing.

"Of course," Lucy reassures her as she grasps her hands.

"Have you got a ring?" Kinana asks with a bashful expression.

Lucy and Laki's eyes go wide as they lean in expectedly.

Biska blushes as she slowly pulls out two ring boxes from her pocket. She pops them open for the girls and hears the three gasp once more.

Inside one sits a simple gold band with a beautifully polished finish. The other holds a matching gold ring with a solitary diamond in the center. Carved into the inside of the metal lie the words "I would rather live in your world with you than live without you in mine".

"Oh, Biska, they're beautiful!" Kinana coos.

"Alzack will love it!" Lucy insists.

"Well," Biska smiles to herself as she looks down at the jewelry, "I wanted it to be special but nothin' too fancy."

"I think they're perfect then," Lucy nods surely.

Biska gives the three ladies a grateful smile as she lets them faun over the rings.

"How much did these cost you?" Laki asks bluntly as she begins to look around for her missing wine glass. She could have sworn that placed it on the table…

Biska sighs deeply and slumps her shoulders.

"Enough to keep me out on jobs for the next several months."

"But that's alright. It'll be worth it," Kinana encourages her with a kind smile.

"Yeah, yeah, it will," Biska blushes and smiles like a woman in love.

"Do you have a certain date in mind?" Kinana continues as she tries to keep Laki away from her wine glass.

"Not really. I'm kinda hopin' for somethin' around the New Year."

"Oh, that would romantic," Lucy says with a dreamy look. "The New Year could symbolize the new beginning of your relationship!"

Lucy, Kinana, and Laki suggest topic after topic for over an hour. Every possible subject is covered over the next hour: the ideal wedding date, possible colors, chapels, guest invites, cake flavors, and much more. Nothing was left undebated.

Eventually the women decide to change into something more comfortable and move over to the bed to lie down. They each take turns in the bathroom changing into their pajamas. Lucy, of course, brought her long sleeved, pink, starry tops and bottoms. Kinana brought a simple pair of purple pajamas that are a bit baggy on her slimming figure. Biska changed into a pair of shorts and a white tank top while Laki wears a green t-shirt and black pants.

"Hey, Lucy," Biska calls the blonde over as she lies down with her feet hanging off the bed.

"Yeah?" the celestial mage turns around as Laki huddles next to Kinana at the end of the bed to discuss proper wedding gifts (her idea being a wooden casket in case one of them wanted some "alone time"). Kinana didn't exactly approve for some odd reason.

"I-I want…I mean if Alzack accepts-"

"Which he will," Lucy interjects with a serious nod.

Biska gives a soft smile as she says, "I want you to be my maid of honor."

Lucy's eyes go wide as she brings a hand to her chest in surprise.

"Me!? Are you sure!?"

"Yep!" Biska nods and grins fervently.

"I-I mean…Wh-why me? Not that I'm not grateful or anything! I'm just stunned you would ask me," Lucy babbles in shock.

"Well," Biska explains and gives her a grateful smile. "You're the one who gave me the advice on how to ask him out on a date in the first place. If it weren't for you, we might not have gotten together."

Lucy blushes in embarrassment and shakes her head.

"That has nothing to do with me. It was all you."

"Well it don't matter. I still want you as my maid of honor."

"Well, there is no way I'm turning you down, girl. I would love to be your maid of honor!" the celestial mage states excitedly as she bounces up and down before hugging the gun mage.

"Thank ya Lucy," Biska replies joyfully as she returns the hug.

"Anytime. So," Lucy leans back and gives Biska a serious look. "When are you planning on asking him?"

"I'm thinkin' about in a few days. Gimme some time to prepare, ya know?"

"Good. And I want to be there," Lucy nods with a look of determination.

"Thanks, I'll need the support in case I get too nervous," Biska blushes in embarrassment as she scratches her cheek.

"Hey, it's no problem! What is the maid of honor for!?" Lucy exclaims as she clasps the gun mage's hands in hers. "I'm so excited for you Biska. It'll be a new chapter for the both of you!"

Biska gives her a grateful smile before raising an eyebrow at the blonde woman.

"Speaking of new beginnings," Biska gives Lucy a sly look, "what's going on between you and Laxus?"

"EH!" Lucy gasps in shock as a blush spreads across the apples of her cheeks. "Wha-what do you mean!?"

"You know what I mean."

"N-No! Th-there's nothing going on between us!"

"Sure, sure. Then why did you guys leave for a month?" Laki joins in with a smug grin.

Kinana and Biska both nod as they huddle around the blonde woman.

Lucy scoffs and rolls her eyes.

"We were cleaning out Master Makarov's old houses," she explains. "Two were here in Magnolia while one was across Fiore and they all needed some serious cleaning and renovations."

"Is that what you were doing?" Kinana taps her chin in thought.

"Why would Master have a house on the other side of Fiore?" Biska asks as she leans back against her pillows.

"It belonged to his late wife's family before he bought it around fifty years ago. It was in total decay. No one's lived there for at least fifty years. I can't even begin to tell you how dirty it was. There were rats, and bugs, and dirt, and the floor was cracking and the lights didn't work, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

"Anyway, after Master died he left the house to Laxus and I offered to help him go through and clean everything. We had to hire an exterminator before we even started cleaning. Then, of course, the attic floor was about to collapse so we had to be extra careful with moving everything down. We didn't know what half of the stuff was or why Master kept it for so long. After everything was cleaned Laxus decided that he wanted to renovate it so we had to go pick out _everything_ that is going into the house. I can't tell you how many different faucets, bathtubs, curtains, window shades, wall colors, wall paper, carpet, tile, appliances, cabinets, mirrors, lights, and furniture we had to look at. And that's just to name a few," Lucy huffs and deadpans in exasperation.

"Oh, that does sound terrible," Kinana agrees with a worried look.

"I understand about the house decisions," Biska sighs and nods her head sagely. "Alzack and I still haven't finished pickin' everything out for our new place. I didn't even know that so many colors existed."

"I know, right! It's a relief to be done with it, that's for sure," Lucy sighs heavily.

"We're sorry, Lucy. It's just that you had been spending so much time together that we thought something had happened between the two of you," Kinana explains.

Lucy's cheeks stain red as she huffs and turns her face away.

"It was nothing like that," she instantly denies with a pout. "We're just friends."

"But you have to admit that Laxus is good looking, right?" Laki asks bluntly.

Biska immediately takes the opportunity to switch the victim of their harassment from Lucy to Laki and asks why Laki thinks that Laxus is attractive. Laki simply sits back and explains how she likes "thick" men without any bashfulness in her tone.

Lucy sighs in relief that the spotlight has been taken off of her but her heart slightly stings from hearing how Laki admires Laxus' looks. The pain ebbs away however when she hears that while Laki appreciates Laxus' physical appearance she doesn't find his personality appealing; saying that he's too stubborn and strong willed for her. While Biska and Kinana agree with the woman about Laxus' personality, they prefer men with a leaner build.

A sense of apprehension lingers at the words but a wave a relief passes over Lucy's heart at the confessions but is quickly overshadowed by confusion.

Why does she feel relieved? It's not like she cares if Laki likes Laxus or anything. At least she doesn't think she would. But then why does she feel a burning weight in her heart at the thought of Laxus with Laki? Of course, she wants them both to be happy and everything but the idea of them together…

It's just so…wrong. _Everything_ about it is wrong.

Laki would not be the right woman for Laxus. She seems like the kind of person that would like someone who is more submissive; which is the exact opposite of Laxus. Plus he enjoys his independence and Laki can be a bit possessive at times. Not to mention how Laxus probably wouldn't enjoy Laki's special "kinks". Lucy doesn't know that for a fact but her instincts tell her she's probably right.

No, they would not work out. At all.

Another wave of relief hits her at the thoughts of how terrible they would be together but brings more worry.

Why is she thinking about this? Why does she even care? It's Laxus' life and he can be with anyone he wants. She can't tell him what to do. God knows she's tried in the past; although that has never stopped her from trying. She wants him to be happy but she also doesn't want him to get hurt from something that is so obviously a huge mistake-

"Lucy? Hey Lucy?" Biska's voice filters in as Lucy feels a hand shake her shoulder.

"H-Huh? What?" she snaps out of her train of thought to find Biska, Kinana, and Laki watching her curiously.

"Are you alright?" Kinana asks worriedly as she places a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"O-oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry if I worried you," Lucy shakes head and forces a smile.

"You sure?" Biska presses.

"Yep. Just lost in thought. It was nothing."

"If you say so," Laki frowns. "Anyway, what do you think about lavender for the flowers?"

Lucy's rubs her chin and shakes her head.

"Nah, that doesn't really complement Biska's hair. We should go with a deep orange or red."

"Orange is my favorite color too," Biska adds. "Alzack likes it as well."

"Oh, that would look wonderful!" Kinana cheers. "The flowers could be lovely set of orange tulips. They would be perfect for a wedding!"

The conversation turns back onto Biska's possible wedding. Lucy refuses to dwell on her past thoughts in favor of listening to potential wedding ideas. As the maid of honor if will be her duty to ensure that everything will be perfect so the sooner she gets ideas, the better.

All of the women continue to talk for a few more hours. Kinana falls asleep on one side of the bed while Laki snuggles up next to her. Biska covers them both up with the blanket before ushering Lucy in the middle between Laki and herself.

When they are as comfortable and snug , Lucy and Biska bid each other goodnight with large grins before they fall into a deep slumber.

* * *

The following morning arrives much too soon for the four women. They each bid each other goodbye and either exit to their own rooms or in Lucy's case, off the Fairy Hill's premises.

Birds have just begun their songs to complement the coolness of the late autumn morning as Lucy slowly walks home. Luckily, she had the foresight to bring a light coat to insulate herself from the chill in the air. It's the middle of October so winter will upon Magnolia soon and the cold have already begun to set in. By the afternoon however, the temperature will be fair once again.

Her thoughts swirl around the bombshell of last night. Lucy is extraordinarily happy and excited for Biska. She's certain that everything will work out for the woman. Alzack and Biska are soul mates and everyone knows it. Their love is so powerful and deep that there is nothing in this world that can tear them apart.

Lucy wholeheartedly believes this.

But…deep down inside of Lucy's heart, there is a part of her that is envious of the gun mages. To be in love with someone so much…it's almost frightening but incredibly exciting.

Lucy wants to have someone like Biska has Alzack. She wants some to hug and kiss and laugh with. Someone who will love her and want to share her life with her till the end of time and through every obstacle.

But who?

Who would be crazy enough to deal with her hectic lifestyle? Lucy admits that she loves going on adventures and traveling and meeting new people. That is one of the greatest highlights of being in a mage's guild.

So what kind of person could she be with then? It can't be someone who would hold her down and restrict her to one place. She dealt with enough of that growing up and she refuses to go back to that lifestyle. The problem is that is how most non-wizarding people are. They have steady jobs and safe homes and a stable lifestyle but…that's not always for her.

Or in the most ideal case, she finds someone who doesn't have magic but understands her lifestyle and allows her to take life-threatening jobs and/or leave for up to months at a time without any contact whatsoever…

Yeah, not very likely.

Then that just leaves wizards.

But that creates another set of problems.

First off, there aren't that many wizards around when the whole of the population is considered. Magic only flows through one-tenth of the population so that severely cuts her pool of options down.

Secondly, she doesn't want a long-distance relationship between her and her "boyfriend" so they can't be from two different guilds. Therefore, that only leaves the Fairy Tail men since she won't ever join another guild. Lucy has dreamt of being a member of Fairy Tail for too long to just give it up for some guy.

But what guy from Fairy Tail could she possibly see herself with? Well, Alzack's out, obviously. So are Macao, Reedus, and Wakaba (he's already married anyway). Jet and Droy are still lovesick over Levy so there's little hope in those two (not that she really wants them anyway.) Nab never takes a job, Vijeeter never stops dancing, Max gives into peer pressure a bit too easily, and Warren has some of the strangest phobias…

And Laxus is her best friend/teammate. If they got together, their entire team dynamic would fall apart.

So in other words, there's no one in the guild that she can think of that she can picture herself with.

So then who…? Who could she love…? Who would love her…?

Lucy snaps out of her depressing thoughts and slaps her cheeks.

No, she won't do this. She'll find love one day. She'll find a love just as powerful as Biska and Alzack's. She just has to be patient and hold onto that hope. In the meanwhile, she is going to have to help plan a wedding and she refuses to jeopardize the magical day by feeling sorry for herself. She's going to be the best maid of honor ever!

Lucy takes a deep breath and sighs. Her eyes look around so she can see all of the banners being hung from buildings and lampposts. Posters and signs hang from walls and windows. Every person and shop around Magnolia is preparing for the Harvest Festival as it will be held at the end of the month. Lucy has already volunteered to participate in the parade but she still can't convince Laxus to join her.

For a man that loves attention, he really hates attention.

That's one of Laxus' qualities that Lucy found hypocritical initially but has come to understand over time. Due to the lack of personal recognition that he received growing up, he strives to have everyone admire him for the achievements he worked so hard to accomplish. Laxus loves to be loved for being magically and physically powerful but he hates the attention when it has nothing to do with magic or strength.

He's a "conditional loner", as Lucy likes to put it.

The memory of the discussion of her and Laxus' relationship from last night swirls inside her mind and she can't stop the faint blush and small smile.

She wasn't lying when she doesn't have feelings for him but she can't deny that there are some wonderful qualities about the lightning slayer.

Sure the man is stubborn as hell, proud, awkward, and has a fortress-sized emotional wall, but he also cares deeply for the people and things he loves, protective, has immense magical skill, and willing to sacrifice everything for his family.

They have become such close friends that she is confident that he falls within the category of her best friend. A sense of lingering guilt feeds into her heart at the thought of replacing Natsu with Laxus but she rejects the emotion. Natsu is dead and Laxus is alive. She had her time with Natsu and it was some of the happiest times of her life but he's gone now. They have had some bumps in the road but Laxus has been supportive, helpful, and by her side for nearly an entire year.

Their relationship is a bit quirky and strange at times but they just seem to…fit together in some odd way.

Like two people that are similar enough to understand each other but different enough that they can better one another.

It just…works. Something that she is eternally grateful for.

She can tell him anything and he won't judge her for it. He might tease her but he would never judge her. He's experience enough of that in his life that he knows not to exert that onto other people. She can be totally comfortable around him and not worry that she'll annoy or anger him. They joke with one another and keep each other's secrets. They seek solace and find comfort in each other as well.

Lucy can't imagine her life without Laxus. Just the idea of losing him brings her to tears. Every day she can feel her heart swell with happiness more and more every day that she is with him. It's such a wondrous feeling and she hopes it never ends.

In addition to her joy, Lucy has discovered that she _sometimes_ thinks about Laxus from a women's perspective and not as her best friend/teammate. She always chastises herself afterwards because of how incredibly stupid and hot she feels.

Initially, she was somewhat bashful when she saw him without a shirt but then turned indifferent after several more occurrences. He was just another teammate that didn't like clothes. Natsu did it. Happy did it (the damn exceed only wore a handkerchief backpack after all.) Erza did it with her armors. And Gray…Gray was well, Gray.

However, that doesn't mean that she is completely immune to his private side. Ever since he opened up to her after he received his mother's letter she sometimes notices him in a different light. To her he's not always the indestructible, cool, confident, S-Class, lightning dragon slayer of Fairy Tail. Sometimes he's the awkward, self-conscious man who likes to tease and make jokes and has a huge heart but doesn't always know how to show it.

And it's that normal part that Lucy desires to see more and more with each passing day. Not just because she knows he is happiest when he can just be himself but also the idea that he acts that way _around_ _her_. That he trusts her enough to show the side he hides in front of everyone else to _her_. It makes her feel…special. As if she holds this singular secret that is only shared between them.

But that doesn't mean that she sees their relationship as anything more than platonic. She cares deeply for her friend and can identify the merits he possesses. She wants him to be happy and will always be there to support him to the best of her ability; as any best friend should.

Lucy's brought out of her thoughts as her building comes into view. With a sharp shake of her head and a deep inhale, she wills her thoughts away. Gossip and rumors don't change the feelings that she knows she holds. She is positive that her and Laxus are good friends and teammates.

With her mind in order she trudges upstairs to get ready to go to the guild. She can't wait to tell Laxus why their trip is going to have to wait until next week.


End file.
